Virtual Reality (VR) is an emerging technology that enables immersive simulated experiences. With improvements in hardware, development accessibility, and application availability, VR technology has become increasingly capable of realistically simulating both real and virtual environments (VE), thereby enhancing training and entertainment experiences. Nevertheless, cybersickness remains a significant challenge, triggering numerous physical discomfort symptoms in users. Moreover, most VR simulators have limitations in motion experience: they cannot perfectly simulate user movement in the virtual world. This limitation leads to reduced realism when attempting to simulate the physical world. This thesis aims to evaluate how different mapping methods in a 360-degree motion simulator (NOVA Ball) affect motion sickness and immersion, and to assess the advantages of various mapping methods in reducing motion sickness and enhancing user immersion.

This study designed and tested hypotheses regarding immersion and motion sickness. The experiment utilized a simulated flight game where users flew through a VE. Three different motion mapping modes were applied: No Rotation, Rotation Only, and Motion Cueing. The experiment employed a between-groups design, with participants randomly assigned to three conditions. In total, 45 participants completed the experiment, during which heart rate and flight data were recorded. After the experiment, participants completed questionnaires relating to discomfort and presence.

The results showed that the Rotation Only condition exhibited the lowest levels of simulator sickness, while the Motion Cueing condition reported the highest simulator sickness scores. However, there were no significant differences in presence across the three conditions. Interestingly, the heart rate of the Rotation Only group was higher than that of the other two groups, suggesting that physical exertion in the 360-degree motion simulator might have had a greater influence on heart rate than cybersickness.