Potential Limitations Measuring Immersion and Presence in Simulated Microgravity VR Environments

Virtual reality has become more cost effective for training in microgravity, however, its effectiveness depends on how immersed and present users feel in the virtual environment. Participants in this study experienced simulated microgravity in a virtual reality environment while standing and while suspended. After each condition, they completed surveys measuring immersion and presence. These surveys detected no differences between conditions. However, additional items showed that participants felt more weightless in the suspended condition. This highlights the importance of selecting appropriate surveys that match the specific characteristics of the virtual reality environment being studied, especially for extreme conditions like microgravity.