Since 360 degree movies are a fairly new medium, creators are facing several challenges such as controlling the attention of a user. In traditional movies this is done by applying cuts and tracking shots which is not possible or advisable in VR since rotating the virtual scene in front of the user’s eyes will lead to simulator sickness. One of the reasons this effect occurs is when the physical movement (measured by the vestibular system) and the visual movement are not coherent. Since most current VR content is advisable to be consumed using a swivel chair, we propose the concept of physically moving the user by rotating the chair with an attached motor. We implemented SwiVRChair by adding a 24V motor and an electromagnetic clutch connected through a timing belt. The magnetic clutch allows the user to still resist and break free of the controls of SwiVRChair without harming the motor. Therefore, we do not try to fully control the user’s view but consider it more as a nudging and an immersing of the user into the scene.
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