Patented system may prevent motion sickness: UM researchers

CHICAGO, Jan. 18 (Xinhua) -- University of Michigan (UM) researchers have developed a universal motion sickness countermeasure system to provide light stimuli in the visual periphery of the passenger to mimic what the rider might see outside, and have obtained a patent for it.

The system has eliminated the conflict between vestibular and visual inputs, the main cause of motion sickness. The patent covers both wearable and vehicle-based embodiments of the system.

About half of adults get motion sick when reading a book in a moving vehicle.

"This is more important with the introduction of autonomous vehicles," said Michael Sivak, a research professor at UM Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI). "In autonomous cars, everyone will be a passenger. So you will have a larger potential pool of sick people."

UMTRI is working with UM Tech Transfer to commercialize the invention. Enditem