Glasgow Team Uncovers How to Trick the Brain in VR Without Causing Discomfort in Passive Settings

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(IN BRIEF) Researchers at the University of Glasgow have demonstrated that users in passive virtual reality environments can experience radically altered perceptions of motion—including exaggerated or reversed movement—without experiencing discomfort or motion sickness. The study, to be presented at CHI 2025, involved participants seated in motorised chairs and cars, where techniques like rotational and translational gain were used to dramatically amplify or misdirect perceived movement in VR. Even when the virtual motion was up to 17 times greater than reality, users remained unaware and comfortable. These findings could revolutionise passive VR experiences for gaming, theme parks, and transport systems, allowing for immersive content without large spaces or extensive hardware. The research was supported by the European Research Council and UKRI.

(PRESS RELEASE) GLASGOW, 14-Apr-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — A team of researchers from the University of Glasgow has discovered that people’s perception of movement in virtual reality (VR) can be significantly manipulated in passive settings—without inducing discomfort or motion sickness. The breakthrough findings have the potential to unlock new dimensions in immersive VR experiences, from home entertainment to theme parks and transportation systems.

The study, which will be presented at the CHI 2025 conference in Japan, reveals that users wearing VR headsets in passive environments—such as motorised simulator chairs or while riding in cars—can be made to feel as if they are turning, speeding, or moving in completely different directions than they actually are, without noticing the discrepancy or feeling unwell.

“Our research shows that perception of motion can be heavily altered—even reversed—without users catching on or feeling any ill effects,” said Dr Graham Wilson of the University of Glasgow’s School of Computing Science. “This opens up tremendous opportunities for VR applications where space is limited or movement is otherwise constrained.”

In a series of three experiments, the team explored the limits of perceptual manipulation. In the first test, participants played a shooting game while seated in a motorised rotating chair. The researchers applied a technique called “rotational gain,” where virtual turns were up to four times greater than physical ones—making a 90-degree real-world rotation feel like 360 degrees in VR. Even with a rotational gain of 1700% (turning just 10 degrees in reality to simulate 170 degrees in VR), participants reported no discomfort.

In the second experiment, the team introduced “opposed motion,” where physical turns went in one direction, while the VR display showed movement in the opposite direction. Surprisingly, few participants detected the discrepancy—especially when their attention was engaged by gameplay.

The third phase took participants out of the lab and into real-world settings. Wearing VR headsets while riding as passengers in a car, they played the same game as in the previous studies. This time, researchers applied “translational gain,” amplifying perceived speed by up to 7.5 times the actual velocity. Users reported highly immersive experiences, unaware of the real-world changes in direction or speed.

Professor Stephen Brewster, leader of the ViAjeRo research project and co-author of the study, noted that these findings are especially promising for enhancing passive VR, where users aren’t in control of their motion. “We’ve found that people are far less sensitive to movement discrepancies in passive scenarios. This could reshape the design of VR games, rides, and transport-based experiences.”

The research could significantly reduce the need for large physical spaces in VR environments. In homes, low-cost motorised chairs with limited motion could produce the sensation of complex or dramatic movement. Theme parks and public transport systems could benefit from delivering thrilling VR content while keeping physical motion minimal and comfortable.

Backed by the European Research Council and UK Research & Innovation, the study also lays the foundation for future research into prolonged exposure to motion manipulation, and how users perceive roll and pitch alongside rotation and translation.

The paper, titled “The Spin Doctor: Leveraging Insensitivity to Passive Rotational & Translational Gain For Unbounded Motion-Based VR Experiences”, will be presented on April 28 at CHI 2025 in Yokohama, Japan.

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SOURCE: University of Glasgow