Effects of uncoupled motion on performance.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether human exposure to vehicle motion specifically affects performance on a similar, yet uncorrelated, driving task and to observe the motion/simulator sickness symptoms that were associated with the real vehicle motion and the driving task.


BACKGROUND
Past research has shown uncoupled motion can affect a person's performance on a task as well as induce motion sickness.


METHODS
Ten participants (age range = 19-25 years) completed an uncorrelated driving task while seated in a stationary real vehicle and a moving real vehicle.


RESULTS
The results show participants took longer to complete the motion condition, t(9) = 1.96, p < .05, and were less accurate, t(9) = 3.73, p < .05. Scores for the Motion Sickness Assessment Questionnaire, t(9) = 3.37, p < .05, and the Simulator Sickness Questionnaire, t(9) = 3.30, p < .05, were significantly higher during the motion condition.


CONCLUSIONS
Performance on the task was degraded and motion sickness heightened during the motion condition.


CONCLUSIONS
This research has potential implications for military-related tasks such as operating a command and control station or controlling a remote vehicle while simultaneously being a passenger in a real vehicle, as well as for civilian applications such as interacting with a moving map navigation system while driving a car.
Muth
Eric R
ER
Department of Psychology, 410J Brackett Hall, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634-1355, USA. muth@clemson.edu
Walker
Alexander D
AD
Fiorello
Matthew
M
D000328:Adult; D001334:Automobile Driving; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009038:Motion; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D013022:South Carolina