Simulating Self-Motion I: Cues for the Perception of Motion

When people move there are many visual and non-visual cues that can inform them about their movement. Simulating self motion in a virtual-reality environment thus needs to take these non-visual cues into account in addition to the normal high-quality visual display. Here we examine the contribution of visual and non-visual cues to our perception of self-motion. The perceived distance of self motion can be estimated from the visual flow field, physical forces or the act of moving. On its own, passive visual motion is a very effective cue to self motion, and evokes a perception of self motion that is related to the actual motion in a way that varies with acceleration. Passive physical motion turns out to be a particularly potent self motion cue: not only does it evoke an exaggerated sensation of motion, but it also tends to dominate other cues. 

• Type: Journal
• Year: 2002
• Where: VR
• Authors: Laurence R. Harris, Michael Jenkin, Daniel C. Zikovitz, Fara Redlick, P. M. Jaekl, Urszula Jasiobedzka, H. L. Jenkin, Robert S. Allison
• Keywords: Non-visual Cues, Self Motion, Virtual Reality, Visual, VR 2002