There have been many reports that virtual reality headsets can cause nausea, headaches, or burning of the eyes. VR makers are quick to say they’ve fixed the issue, and now one artist has gone to the extreme to test it. Thorsten Wiedemann, founder and artistic director of the A MAZE festival, reportedly spent 48 hours in an HTC Vive and noted he was nausea-free.
“I had no physical problems, no burning eyes, killing headaches or nausea,” Wiedemann said.
The experiment was part of a project called Disconnected , which promised to be the longest trial any human has ever spent in VR. He spent the two days in a fuzzy pink onesie and flip-flops without sleeping, and what he saw was projected on a screen to let researchers view his disconnected reality experience.
Wiedemann did not participate in this project to prove the safety of the hardware, but rather, to test what he believes will be a common hobby by 2026. He noted it will be “normal that you jump into VR to meet your international friends in Social VR Rooms and go on crazy adventures together. But a long trip will be still special and could be understood as a controlled drug experience.”
“VR Shaman” Sara Lisa Vogl guided Wiedemann through games, demos, and “Lucid Trip” events to keep him entertained during his time. In real-time, his 48-hour marathon included each morning spent in a virtual cozy cave with a view of a starry sky to mimic sleeping for two and a half hours, as well as time spent eating “special liquid foods,” bananas, chocolate, and medicine designed to prevent him from using the bathroom during the trial.
Another artist—Mark Farid—is attempting to surpass Wiedemann’s VR performance by striving to spend 28 straight days in a VR headset experiencing another’s life via streamed livestreamed audio and video. Regardless of if the headset prevents motion sickness or not, I’m sure that idea makes most of us a little sick to our stomachs.
Via Ars Technica
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