Motion sickness is a common challenge faced by XR headsets. Apple has now revealed specifics on how the Vision Pro headset tackles this issue for wearers.
In new support documents, Apple provides guidance on avoiding motion sickness before and after using Vision Pro. Several factors can contribute to dizziness or nausea in headsets.
A key factor is the mismatch between perceived movement visually and physical movement felt by your body. For example, your eyes see rapid motion on a Vision Pro rollercoaster, but your inner ear feels you are stationary. This confusion can lead to sickness.
Latency, or lag between head movement and visual response, is another big cause. If the headset can’t update the display fast enough when you turn your head, it creates a disconnect resulting in disorientation.
Apple says Vision Pro has an ultra-low latency of just 12 milliseconds. This means visuals match head movements nearly instantly, providing a more natural perspective.
For apps and games requiring frequent head motion, Apple displays a logo warning of potential sickness risk. Immersive media also carries this caution. Those prone to motion sickness are advised to avoid these experiences at first.
The Vision Pro settings include a “Reduce Motion” accessibility option to minimize sickness triggers. This tones down graphics and transitions that can cause discomfort.
Apple’s tips to further avoid motion sickness include:
- Avoid excessive panning or head turning in Vision Pro spaces
- Reduce app window sizes
- Rotate the digital crown to see more actual surroundings
- Limit use of apps with repetitive head/neck movements
- Reorient to real environments before physically active tasks after use
- Don’t drive until symptoms fully subside
Developers can also help by optimizing apps to work well with head motion. Smooth tracking and realistic physics are important.
By flagging high-motion experiences and providing sickness reduction settings, Apple gives users more control. But the Vision Pro’s technical capabilities like low latency play the biggest role in preventing discomfort.
With measures to minimize triggers and match natural head movements, Apple aims to make immersive headsets more accessible.
The detailed guidance underscores Apple’s focus on comfort. As adoption grows, motion sickness remains a key hurdle. But the Vision Pro’s engineering and software considerations demonstrate Apple’s efforts to pioneer comfortable extended reality experiences.
