A Novel Virtual Reality Cycling System Using Controllers for Pedal Motion-Based Tracking: Movement Techniques, Motion Sickness, and User Experience

This study proposes a novel, low-cost Virtual Reality (VR) cycling system that leverages VR controllers for pedal motion-based tracking, eliminating the need for additional sensors or complex setups. The system introduces two movement techniques: continuous and teleportation movement. These techniques allow users to control their movement in VR cycling by tilting their upper body for lateral movement and using leg-mounted controllers with pedal tracking for forward movement. This study investigated the system's performance, motion sickness, and user experience within a virtual environment (VE) designed to simulate an urban landscape with a straight road, obstacles, and collectible items. A tunneling vignette was incorporated to mitigate visual-vestibular mismatches in the investigation of motion sickness. Results showed no significant differences in collected items or obstacle avoidance performance between the continuous and teleportation movement techniques. The tunneling vignette did not significantly affect performance or reduce motion sickness symptoms, as indicated by the SSQ scores. However, participants reported that the teleportation technique provided higher realism and internal-external correspondence (RJPQ: <italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">p</i> = 0.007 and <italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">p</i> = 0.001, respectively). Intrinsic motivation scores were comparable for both techniques, though teleport technique showed slightly lower perceived tension (<italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">p</i> = 0.005). Our low-cost VR cycling system provides an immersive and engaging experience, offering intuitive control mechanisms and realistic cycling dynamics. These findings contribute to the development of accessible VR cycling systems, ensuring movement design and user experience for immersive VEs.