Investigation of the combined tilt and pitch function for downhill cycling in motion-based VR bicycle simulators

Abstract

A motion-based virtual reality (VR) bicycle simulator allows for steering and pedaling as input, while visual information and platform movements are provided as output. The simulator offers a potential means of safely experiencing mountain biking (MTB); however, the impact of complex multidirectional tilting of the bicycle on user experience remains unclear. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of integrating tilt and pitch on users’ psychological experience during downhill cycling in a simulator. Twenty-one participants rode a simulator course designed to replicate a real MTB course and were instructed to pass through balls placed at ten turns (i.e., banks) along the course. Measurements were taken under two conditions: the nonmotion (NM) condition, in which the platform remained stationary, and the motion-based (M) condition, in which the platform moved in tilt and pitch according to the visual environment. After each condition, participants completed the Simulator Sickness Questionnaire (SSQ), the Igroup Presence Questionnaire (IPQ), and the short version of the User Experience Questionnaire (UEQ-S). Eighteen participants completed both conditions. There was no significant difference in the SSQ and the UEQ-S between the two conditions. In the IPQ, only the subscale spatial presence was significantly higher in the M condition than in the NM condition. The platform’s tilt and pitch movements during downhill cycling in a VR bicycle simulator had only a minimal impact on simulator sickness, presence, and user experience. These results indicate that a platform without motion may be sufficient for rehearsing MTB downhill courses for individuals with no prior MTB experience.