Liu Zhi, Suzuki Shieru, Fushimi Tatsuki, Ochiai Yoichi
Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, 305-8550, Japan.
Faculty of Library, Information and Media Studies, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, 305-8550, Japan.
HardwareX. 2025 Apr 10;22:e00647. doi: 10.1016/j.ohx.2025.e00647. eCollection 2025 Jun.
Galvanic Vestibular Stimulation (GVS) is a non-invasive technique that stimulates the vestibular system, which is crucial for maintaining balance and processing spatial orientation. The integration between the visual and vestibular systems, known as Oculo-Vestibular Recoupling (OVR), has shown promising potential in reducing motion sickness and enhancing immersion in Extended Reality (XR). However, a noticeable challenge in GVS research is the lack of open-sourced devices, with most studies relying on self-made prototypes or constant current power supplies. The prototyping of such devices necessitates rigorous testing and calibration, processes that are both resource-intensive and time-consuming. These challenges are particularly pronounced for researchers with limited expertise in electronics, thereby increasing the safety risks and complicating the reproducibility of experimental results. To address these issues, this paper introduces an open-source voltage-controlled current source (VCCS) module specifically designed for GVS. The proposed module provides a safe, stable, and compact solution. This study details the hardware development, performance evaluation, and wireless integration of the module, as well as a simple control methodology. Furthermore, a small-scale user study is conducted to validate the feasibility and user perception of GVS using the proposed module. This comprehensive approach aims to offer an easily accessible solution for researchers engaged in GVS-related studies.
电前庭刺激（GVS）是一种刺激前庭系统的非侵入性技术，前庭系统对于维持平衡和处理空间定向至关重要。视觉和前庭系统之间的整合，即眼前庭再耦合（OVR），在减少晕动病和增强扩展现实（XR）中的沉浸感方面已显示出有前景的潜力。然而，GVS研究中一个明显的挑战是缺乏开源设备，大多数研究依赖自制原型或恒流电源。此类设备的原型制作需要严格的测试和校准，这些过程既耗费资源又耗时。对于电子专业知识有限的研究人员来说，这些挑战尤为突出，从而增加了安全风险并使实验结果的可重复性复杂化。为了解决这些问题，本文介绍了一种专门为GVS设计的开源压控电流源（VCCS）模块。所提出的模块提供了一种安全、稳定且紧凑的解决方案。本研究详细介绍了该模块的硬件开发、性能评估和无线集成，以及一种简单的控制方法。此外，还进行了一项小规模用户研究，以验证使用所提出的模块进行GVS的可行性和用户感受。这种全面的方法旨在为从事GVS相关研究的人员提供一种易于获取的解决方案。
