Cybersickness Prevention and Mitigation in Virtual Reality for Healthy Volunteers

Last updated: May 8, 2026
Sponsor: National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI)
Overall Status: Active - Recruiting

Phase

N/A

Condition

Healthy Volunteers

Treatment

Motion Reset

Placebo

Clinical Study ID

NCT06552754
10001975
001975-HG
  • Ages 18-60
  • All Genders

Study Summary

Background:

People use virtual reality (VR) technology to play games, socialize, work, or receive medical care. Some people have "cybersickness" after using VR. Cybersickness is similar to motion sickness. Symptoms include eye strain, nausea, dizziness, or headache. The symptoms are usually mild and go away after the person stops using VR. New software called Motion Reset is being designed to reduce symptoms of cybersickness during VR use.

Objective:

To see if Motion Reset software can reduce cybersickness in people using VR.

Eligibility:

Healthy adults aged 18 to 60 years.

Design:

Participants will have 1 clinic visit that will last about 1 hour. They will answer questions about how they are feeling. They will learn how to use the VR headset and the handheld game controllers.

The study will be broken into 2 parts. For the first part, participants will be assigned to 1 of 3 groups:

Group 1 will participate in a VR experience designed to prevent cybersickness. They will view screens and move around while they press buttons on a controller.

Group 2 will participate in a VR experience that is not designed to prevent cybersickness. They will view screens and move around while they press buttons on a controller.

Group 3 will have no VR experience.

Participants will complete 2 questionnaires about their experiences in the first part of the study.

For the second part, all participants will spend up to 20 minutes playing a commercial VR game called Jurassic World Aftermath. Every few minutes, they will be asked if they are experiencing discomfort.

After playing the game, participants will complete 12 questionnaires about their experience....

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion

  • INCLUSION CRITERIA:

In order to be eligible to participate in this study, an individual must meet all of the following criteria:

  • Provision of signed and dated informed consent form

  • Stated willingness to comply with all study procedures and availability for theduration of the study

  • Aged 18-60

  • Ability to read, speak, and write in English

  • Normal or corrected-to-normal hearing

  • Normal vision or corrected-to-normal without use of glasses. Contact lenses forcorrective purposes are acceptable.

Ability to read, speak and write in English is a requirement because the VR-based study materials and assessment are only available in English and several of the key questionnaires for the study are not validated in other languages.

Exclusion

EXCLUSION CRITERIA:

An individual who meets any of the following criteria will be excluded from participation in this study:

  • Reporting motion sickness propensity of 0, 9 or 10 on a 0-10 scale where 0 =neverexperience motion sickness and 10 = experience motion sickness very frequently (self-assessed by participants).

  • Reporting a history of photo-sensitive seizure disorders, vestibular disordersand/or other conditions that may make participants prone to nausea, dizziness,vertigo, ataxia, or incoordination.

  • Known pregnancy

  • Reporting current use of medication or supplements that inhibit nausea, e.g.,Zofran/ondansetron, Phenergan/promethazine

Study Design

Total Participants: 150
Treatment Group(s): 2
Primary Treatment: Motion Reset
Phase:
Study Start date:
September 26, 2025
Estimated Completion Date:
February 01, 2027

Study Description

Study Description:

This study involves investigation of a virtual reality (VR) experience intended to prevent cybersickness (similar to motion sickness and eye strain) from use of virtual reality equipment. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three arms: active intervention, placebo (a similar VR experience that does not engage sensory systems purported to underlie efficacy), or a notreatment control. Following the intervention, participants will play a VRbased game used in previous research to slowly induce moderate levels of cybersickness in some individuals. During play, we will assess self-reported feelings of discomfort. Participants will be allowed to stop playing at any time or will be asked to stop playing if discomfort reaches a certain threshold. Self-report data will be collected prior to and following the intervention.

Objectives:

Primary Objective: Evaluate efficacy of an approach for prevention of cybersickness symptoms when using virtual reality.

Secondary Objectives: Investigate individual difference factors associated with efficacy; assess mechanisms involved in treatment efficacy

Endpoints:

Primary Endpoint: Self-reported cybersickness symptoms on the Simulator Sickness Questionnaire

Secondary Endpoints: Self-reported cybersickness and duration of stimulus game play. Investigate individual difference factors associated with efficacy; assess mechanisms involved in treatment efficacy

Connect with a study center

  • Iowa State University

    Ames, Iowa 50011
    United States

    Active - Recruiting

  • Iowa State University

    Ames 4846834, Iowa 4862182 50011
    United States

    Site Not Available

  • National Institutes of Health Clinical Center

    Bethesda, Maryland 20892
    United States

    Active - Recruiting

  • National Institutes of Health Clinical Center

    Bethesda 4348599, Maryland 4361885 20892
    United States

    Site Not Available

Map preview placeholder

Not the study for you?

Let us help you find the best match. Sign up as a volunteer and receive email notifications when clinical trials are posted in the medical category of interest to you.