“Are you feeling sick?” – A systematic literature review of cybersickness in virtual reality

Abstract

Cybersickness (CS), also known as visually induced motion sickness (VIMS) is a condition that can affect individuals when they interact with virtual reality (VR) technology. This condition is characterized by symptoms such as nausea, dizziness, headaches, eye fatigue, etc., and can be caused by a variety of factors. Finding a feasible solution to reduce the impact of CS is extremely important as it will greatly enhance the overall user experience and make VR more appealing to a wider range of people. We have carefully compiled a list of 223 highly pertinent studies to review the current state of research on the most essential aspects of CS. We have provided a novel taxonomy that encapsulates various aspects of CS measurement techniques found in the literature. We have proposed a set of CS mitigation guidelines for both developers and users. We have also discussed various CS-inducing factors and provided a taxonomy that tries to capture the same. Overall, our work provides a comprehensive overview of the current state of research in CS with a particular emphasis on different measurement techniques and CS mitigation strategies, identifies research gaps in the literature, and provides recommendations for future research in the field.