Motion sickness alleviation system and information processing device for motion sickness alleviation

Abstract

To provide a car sickness reduction system capable of providing appropriate treatment in accordance with the sickness state of each of a plurality of users.SOLUTION: According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a car sickness reduction system includes a sensor device for sensing riding states of a plurality of users riding on a vehicle, a plurality of communication terminals respectively allocated to the plurality of users, and an information processing device for communicating with the plurality of communication terminals. The plurality of communication terminals store data of the easiness of getting car sickness of a communication terminal allocated user. The information processing device executes sickness level estimation processing for estimating sickness levels of the plurality of users, and reduction treatment processing for executing sickness reduction treatment based on the estimated sickness levels to the plurality of users by using the data of the easiness of getting car sickness and the riding states sensed by the sensor device.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a motion sickness alleviation system and an information processing device for motion sickness alleviation. [Background technology]

[0002] A method for reducing motion sickness by sensing the state of a passenger in a vehicle is known (see Patent Document 1). In this method, the state of the passenger is grasped using sensing data, and the vehicle is controlled to reduce motion sickness. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-185378 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the above-mentioned method, the sickness level is predicted using data from all occupants. Therefore, there is room for improvement in the accuracy of grasping the state of each occupant. Furthermore, since the same treatment is applied to all occupants, treatment tailored to each individual situation is not provided.

[0005] One aspect of the present disclosure aims to provide a motion sickness alleviation system that can provide appropriate treatment tailored to the sickness level of each of multiple users. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] One aspect of the present disclosure is a motion sickness reduction system (1) including a sensor device (2) configured to sense the riding status of multiple users riding in a vehicle (100), multiple communication terminals (200) assigned to each of the multiple users, and an information processing device (5) installed in the vehicle (100) and configured to communicate with the multiple communication terminals (200).

[0007] The plurality of communication terminals (200) are configured to store the sickness susceptibility data of the assigned users. The information processing device (5) is configured to execute, while the vehicle (100) is moving, a sickness level estimation process for estimating the sickness level of each of the plurality of users using the sickness susceptibility data stored in each of the plurality of communication terminals (200) and the riding state sensed by the sensor device (2), and a sickness reduction process for applying sickness reduction measures to the plurality of users based on the estimated sickness levels.

[0008] According to this configuration, the sickness level of each of the users on board the vehicle 100 can be estimated based on the sickness susceptibility data of each user stored in the communication terminal 200. Therefore, appropriate measures can be provided according to the sickness level of each of the users.

[0009] In one aspect of the present disclosure, the information processing device (5) may be configured to transmit the riding status of a corresponding user to each of a plurality of communication terminals (200) in the sickness level estimation process and to cause the plurality of communication terminals (200) to predict the sickness level of the corresponding user using the sickness susceptibility data and the riding status. With this configuration, it is possible to estimate the sickness level of each user without providing personal information of the user to the information processing device (5). Therefore, it is possible to protect personal information stored in the communication terminals (200).

[0010] One aspect of the present disclosure may further include a content providing device (3) configured to provide overall content shared by multiple users in the vehicle (100). The information processing device (5) may be configured to switch, as a sickness reduction measure, from providing overall content to multiple users by the content providing device (3) to providing individual content to each of the multiple users by multiple communication terminals (200). This configuration makes it possible to switch from a mode in which common content is provided to multiple users to a mode in which individual content is provided to reduce sickness. As a result, it is possible to provide a function for multiple users to share a content experience and a sickness reduction function.

[0011] In one aspect of the present disclosure, the information processing device (5) may be configured to further execute a content determination process for determining overall content to be provided by the content providing device (3) based on the planned travel route of the vehicle (100) and the motion sickness susceptibility data stored in each of the multiple communication terminals (200). Such a configuration enables selection of overall content based on the shape of the planned travel route, each user's motion sickness susceptibility, etc. Therefore, overall content that is less likely to cause motion sickness for multiple users can be provided by the content providing device (3).

[0012] In one aspect of the present disclosure, the information processing device (5) may be configured to, as a sickness reduction measure, cause a communication terminal (200) corresponding to a user with a high level of sickness among the multiple communication terminals (200) to issue a warning to the user. With this configuration, it is possible to encourage a user with a high level of sickness to recover.

[0013] Another aspect of the present disclosure is an information processing device (5) for reducing motion sickness that is installed in a vehicle (100) and configured to communicate with multiple communication terminals (200) assigned to multiple users respectively on board the vehicle (100).

[0014] The information processing device (5) for reducing motion sickness is configured to execute a sickness level estimation process for estimating the sickness level of each of a plurality of users using the sickness susceptibility data of the users stored in each of a plurality of communication terminals (200) and the riding conditions of the plurality of users sensed within the vehicle (100) while the vehicle (100) is moving, and a sickness reduction process for applying sickness reduction measures to the plurality of users based on the estimated sickness levels.

[0015] With this configuration, appropriate measures can be provided to suit the sickness level of each of multiple users. Note that the symbols in the parentheses above are examples showing the correspondence with the specific configurations, etc. described in the embodiments described below, and the present disclosure is not limited to the specific configurations, etc. shown by the symbols in the parentheses above. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a motion sickness alleviation system according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a vehicle to which the motion sickness alleviation system of FIG. 1 is applied. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a flow diagram schematically showing the processing executed by the information processing device of FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] Hereinafter, embodiments to which the present disclosure is applied will be described with reference to the drawings. [1. First embodiment] [1-1.Configuration] The motion sickness reduction system 1 shown in Fig. 1 is installed in a vehicle 100 (see Fig. 2). The vehicle 100 in this embodiment is a passenger car that can accommodate a plurality of users, each of whom has a communication terminal 200.

[0018] The motion sickness alleviation system 1 includes a sensor device 2, a content providing device 3, a plurality of seats 4, an information processing device 5, and a plurality of communication terminals 200.

[0019] <Sensor device> The sensor device 2 is configured to sense the riding state of a plurality of users riding in the vehicle 100. The "riding state" includes the acceleration experienced by the users and the posture of the users.

[0020] 2, the sensor device 2 has an acceleration sensor 21 and a plurality of in-vehicle cameras 22. The acceleration sensor 21 acquires the acceleration of the vehicle 100. The in-vehicle cameras 22 capture images of the postures of each user seated in the seat 4.

[0021] <Contents providing device> The content providing device 3 is configured to provide the entire content to be shared by multiple users in the vehicle 100.

[0022] The content providing device 3 may be, for example, a large screen or display that can be seen from all seats 4 in the vehicle 100. The content providing device 3 plays the entire content (for example, moving images such as movies and videos) determined by the information processing device 5.

[0023] <Sheet> The seat 4 is installed in a space where the user stays in the vehicle 100. The user who boards the vehicle 100 sits in any one of the plurality of seats 4.

[0024] The seat 4 has a control mechanism for changing the posture (for example, reclining), blowing air, etc., and sensors such as a pressure sensor, a biological data sensor, etc. The biological data sensor acquires, for example, the heart rate of the user.

[0025] <Information processing device> The information processing device 5 is installed in the vehicle 100 and configured to communicate with a plurality of communication terminals 200.

[0026] As shown in FIG. 1, the information processing device 5 includes a recognition unit 51, a determination unit 52, an estimation unit 53, and a processing unit .

[0027] The information processing device 5 is configured by a computer including, for example, a processor, a storage medium such as RAM and ROM, a communication unit, and an input / output unit. The information processing device 5 may be incorporated into an ECU (electric control unit) of the vehicle 100. Furthermore, a part of the information processing device 5 may be installed as a server outside the vehicle 100 (i.e., in ground facilities).

[0028] <Recognition part> The recognition unit 51 recognizes the communication terminal 200 held by the user (that is, assigned to the user), and executes a recognition process to confirm that the user holding this communication terminal 200 has boarded the vehicle 100.

[0029] Specifically, the recognition unit 51 recognizes the user's position (i.e., the seat 4 in which the user is seated) from the position information received from the communication terminal 200, the image captured by the in-vehicle camera 22, and the data acquired by the sensor of the seat 4. The recognition of the user's position is performed not only when the user boards the vehicle 100 but also at regular intervals while the vehicle 100 is moving.

[0030] <Decision section> The determination unit 52 executes a content determination process to determine the entire content provided by the content providing device 3 from among a plurality of playable contents based on the planned travel route of the vehicle 100 and the motion sickness susceptibility data stored in each of the plurality of communication terminals 200.

[0031] Here, the vehicle 100 may be an autonomous vehicle that automatically travels along a planned route, or may be a manually driven vehicle that is driven by a driver along a planned route. In the case of an autonomous vehicle, there is no driver, and all passengers are subject to motion sickness reduction, so the effects of the motion sickness reduction system 1 are more likely to be realized.

[0032] Specifically, the determination unit 52 predicts the magnitude of shaking that will occur when traveling along the planned travel route, based on the acceleration history of the past travel along the planned travel route that is stored in the database of the information processing device 5.

[0033] The determination unit 52 calculates a recommendation score for each of the plurality of pieces of content by combining the predicted magnitude of shaking with each user's susceptibility to motion sickness, the intensity of stimulation of each of the plurality of pieces of content, and data such as each user's preferences based on their past content viewing history. The "intensity of stimulation of content" is calculated from, for example, the amount of change in structural elements (such as motion vectors) in the content, brightness, genre, etc.

[0034] The determination unit 52 determines the content with the highest calculated recommendation score from among the plurality of playable contents as the entire content, and instructs the content providing device 3 to play back the entire content.

[0035] <Estimation part> While the vehicle 100 is moving, the estimation unit 53 performs a sickness level estimation process to estimate the sickness level of each of the multiple users using the sickness susceptibility data stored in each of the multiple communication terminals 200 and the riding state sensed by the sensor device 2.

[0036] "Sickness susceptibility data" includes the user's own age, gender, self-assessed level of sickness susceptibility, and past sickness history. "Past sickness history" includes the riding conditions (specifically, vehicle acceleration and head acceleration) when sickness occurred in the past, and the sickness level predicted at that time.

[0037] Specifically, in the sickness level estimation process, the estimation unit 53 first transmits the riding state of the corresponding (i.e., owner) user to each of the multiple communication terminals 200. The riding state of the user includes, for example, the vehicle acceleration, the user's head acceleration, and the user's posture.

[0038] The vehicle acceleration is acquired by the acceleration sensor 21. The user's head acceleration is calculated from an image captured by the in-vehicle camera 22. The estimation unit 53 uses the integrated value of the power spectrum of each of these accelerations in the low frequency region (for example, 0.2 Hz to 1 Hz) over the past few minutes for estimation.

[0039] The user's posture is calculated from an image captured by the in-vehicle camera 22. The estimation unit 53 uses a categorical variable that represents the direction of the user's face (i.e., how far the user is looking downward) in several stages for estimation.

[0040] Next, the estimation unit 53 causes the plurality of communication terminals 200 to predict the sickness level of the corresponding user using the sickness susceptibility data stored in each of the plurality of communication terminals 200 and the riding state transmitted to the communication terminal 200.

[0041] That is, the estimation unit 53 receives the sickness susceptibility data and the riding state as input and transmits a calculation command to output the sickness level to each of the multiple communication terminals 200. The estimation unit 53 acquires the sickness levels predicted by each of the multiple communication terminals 200 as estimation results of the sickness level of each user.

[0042] <Treatment department> The treatment unit 54 executes a reduction treatment process for applying sickness reduction treatment to a plurality of users based on the sickness levels estimated in the sickness level estimation process.

[0043] Specifically, as a sickness reduction measure, the treatment unit 54 switches from providing all content to a plurality of users by the content providing device 3 to providing individual content to each of the plurality of users by the plurality of communication terminals 200.

[0044] That is, when the sickness level of some users is equal to or higher than a predetermined threshold, the processing unit 54 instructs the content providing device 3 to stop playing all of the content. Also, the processing unit 54 instructs the multiple communication terminals 200 to play individual content.

[0045] Furthermore, as a sickness reduction measure, the treatment unit 54 causes a communication terminal 200 corresponding to a user with a high sickness level (i.e., held by a user whose sickness level is equal to or higher than a threshold) among the multiple communication terminals 200 to issue a warning to the user.

[0046] An example of a warning to the user is a display that urges the user to stop viewing the content and take a rest. The warning may also be executed together with the reproduction of the individual content. For example, to warn the user, communication terminal 200 may execute guidance control such as control to display a suggestion to the user to look in a direction that is less likely to cause motion sickness (for example, upward), or control to stop the individual content when the user looks in a direction that is more likely to cause motion sickness (i.e., downward).

[0047] The direction in which the user is likely to become motion sick is determined by the processing unit 54 or the communication terminal 200 from the orientation of the communication terminal 200 detected by a gyro sensor included in the communication terminal 200 and the traveling direction of the vehicle 100 detected by an acceleration sensor included in the communication terminal 200. Furthermore, control for calling the attention of the user may be executed using the posture of the user acquired by the in-vehicle camera 22.

[0048] Furthermore, as a sickness reduction treatment, the treatment unit 54 executes sickness reduction control on a seat 4 in which a user with a high level of sickness is seated among the plurality of seats 4. Examples of sickness reduction control include reclining the seat back backward and blowing air toward the user.

[0049] The treatment unit 54 does not perform any special treatment such as the above-mentioned warning or sickness reduction control for a user whose sickness level is low (that is, whose sickness level is below the threshold).

[0050] <Communication terminal> The communication terminal 200 is a portable computer that includes, for example, a processor, a storage medium such as a RAM or a ROM, a communication unit, and an input / output unit.

[0051] Examples of the communication terminal 200 include a smartphone, a tablet, and a notebook PC. Data is exchanged between the communication terminal 200 and the information processing device 5 by wireless communication. Examples of the wireless communication that can be used include short-range wireless communication and wireless LAN.

[0052] A program (i.e., an application) for using the motion sickness reduction system 1 is installed in the communication terminal 200. This program includes a judgment formula (i.e., a prediction model) for predicting the motion sickness level. The communication terminal 200 predicts the motion sickness level based on an instruction from the information processing device 5 using the judgment formula.

[0053] The judgment formula for predicting the sickness level is created in advance using a statistical method with the user's riding state and the predicted results of the user's past sickness level as explanatory variables (i.e., independent variables) and the user's current sickness level as the objective variable. As described above, the "user's riding state" used as the explanatory variable of the judgment formula includes the vehicle acceleration, the user's head acceleration, and the user's posture.

[0054] As a statistical method, multivariate analysis, supervised machine learning, or a combination of these is used. In supervised machine learning, machine learning is performed using the user's sickness level as training data and the above-mentioned explanatory variables as input data.

[0055] In the learning step, the machine learning circuit analyzes a large number of combinations of explanatory variables with labels (i.e., training data). The machine learning circuit learns features for classifying combinations of explanatory variables into multiple labels (i.e., sickness levels) from the large number of labeled data, and constructs a judgment formula. Note that the communication terminal 200 may be configured to receive updated judgment formulas as needed from a server (not shown).

[0056] The communication terminal 200 also stores motion sickness susceptibility data of the assigned (i.e., owner) user. The motion sickness susceptibility data is input by the user when registering for use of the motion sickness reduction system 1 using the communication terminal 200 on which the application is installed.

[0057] [1-2. Processing] An example of processing executed by the information processing device 5 will be described below with reference to the flow diagram of FIG.

[0058] In this process, the information processing device 5 first performs check-in to confirm that the user will board the vehicle 100 (step S110). Check-in is performed by recognizing the communication terminal 200 held by the user who has registered (i.e., made a reservation) for boarding in advance.

[0059] After check-in, the information processing device 5 causes the vehicle 100 to start moving (step S120). If the vehicle 100 is an autonomous vehicle, the information processing device 5 starts a driving control program. If the vehicle 100 is a manual vehicle, the information processing device 5 instructs the driver to start driving.

[0060] The information processing device 5 determines the entire content to be provided by the content providing device 3 and plays it back using the content providing device 3 (step S130). After starting to play back the entire content, the information processing device 5 estimates the sickness level of each user in cooperation with the communication terminal 200 of each user (step S140).

[0061] After estimating the sickness level, the information processing device 5 determines whether the sickness level of each user is equal to or greater than a threshold (step S150). If the sickness level of at least one user is equal to or greater than the threshold (S150: YES), the information processing device 5 executes sickness reduction measures according to the user's sickness level (step S160). On the other hand, if there is no user whose sickness level is equal to or greater than the threshold (S150: NO), the information processing device 5 does not execute sickness reduction measures.

[0062] After determining whether or not to perform sickness reduction measures, the information processing device 5 determines whether or not the vehicle 100 has arrived at the destination (step S170). If the vehicle 100 has arrived at the destination (S170: YES), the information processing device 5 ends the processing. On the other hand, if the vehicle 100 has not arrived at the destination (S170: NO), the information processing device 5 repeats the steps from sickness level estimation (S140).

[0063] [1-3.Effects] According to the embodiment described above in detail, the following effects can be obtained. (1a) The sickness level of each of the multiple users on board the vehicle 100 can be estimated based on the sickness susceptibility data of each user stored in the communication terminal 200. Therefore, appropriate measures can be provided according to the sickness level of each of the multiple users.

[0064] (1b) By predicting the sickness level using the sickness susceptibility data in the communication terminal 200, it is possible to estimate the sickness level of each individual user without providing the user's personal information to the information processing device 5. Therefore, it is possible to protect the personal information stored in the communication terminal 200.

[0065] (1c) As a sickness reduction measure, by switching from providing overall content to providing individual content to each of multiple users, it becomes possible to switch from a mode in which common content is provided to multiple users to a mode in which individual content is provided to reduce sickness. As a result, it is possible to provide a function for multiple users to share a content experience and a sickness reduction function.

[0066] (1d) By determining the overall content based on the planned travel route of the vehicle 100 and the motion sickness susceptibility data, it becomes possible to select the overall content based on the shape of the planned travel route, each user's motion sickness susceptibility, etc. Therefore, the content providing device 3 can provide overall content that is less likely to cause motion sickness to multiple users.

[0067] (1e) As a sickness reduction measure, the communication terminal 200 can be made to issue a warning to the user, thereby encouraging a user whose sickness level has increased to recover.

[0068] 2. Other Embodiments Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, it goes without saying that the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments and can take on various forms.

[0069] (2a) In the motion sickness alleviation system of the above embodiment, the prediction of the motion sickness level does not necessarily have to be performed in the communication terminal. For example, an information processing device may receive motion sickness susceptibility data from the communication terminal and estimate the motion sickness level using a determination formula.

[0070] (2b) In the motion sickness alleviation system of the above embodiment, the information processing device does not necessarily have to determine the entire content to be provided by the content providing device based on the planned travel route of the vehicle and the motion sickness susceptibility data.

[0071] Furthermore, the motion sickness reduction system of the above embodiment does not necessarily have to include a content providing device, that is, the motion sickness reduction system may be configured to provide content using only individual communication terminals.

[0072] (2c) The motion sickness alleviation system of the above embodiment can be applied to vehicles other than passenger cars, such as railway vehicles, ships, and aircraft.

[0073] (2d) The function of one component in the above embodiments may be distributed among multiple components, or the functions of multiple components may be integrated into one component. Also, part of the configuration of the above embodiments may be omitted. Furthermore, at least part of the configuration of the above embodiments may be added to or substituted for the configuration of another of the above embodiments. All aspects included in the technical idea identified by the wording of the claims are embodiments of the present disclosure. [Explanation of symbols]

[0074] 1...motion sickness alleviation system, 2...sensor device, 3...content providing device, 4...seat, 5...information processing device, 21...acceleration sensor, 22...in-vehicle camera, 51...recognition unit, 52...determination unit, 53...estimation unit, 54...treatment unit, 100...vehicle, 200...communication terminal.

Claims

1. A sensor device configured to sense the riding states of a plurality of users riding in the vehicle; a plurality of communication terminals assigned to the plurality of users, respectively; an information processing device installed in the vehicle and configured to communicate with the plurality of communication terminals; a content providing device configured to provide an entire content shared by the plurality of users within the vehicle; Equipped with the sensor device has an in-vehicle camera, the riding state includes a posture of each of the plurality of users calculated from an image captured by the in-vehicle camera, The plurality of communication terminals are configured to store motion sickness susceptibility data of assigned users, The information processing device includes: a sickness level estimation process for estimating a sickness level of each of the plurality of users using the sickness susceptibility data stored in each of the plurality of communication terminals and the riding state sensed by the sensor device while the vehicle is moving; a sickness reduction treatment process for performing sickness reduction treatment on the plurality of users based on the estimated sickness levels; configured to run the information processing device is configured to, when it is estimated in the sickness level estimation process that the sickness levels of some users are equal to or higher than a predetermined threshold, switch from providing the entire content to the plurality of users by the content providing device to providing individual content to each of the plurality of users by the plurality of communication terminals; and, when it is determined in the reduction process that a user whose sickness level is equal to or higher than the threshold is facing a direction that makes the user more susceptible to sickness, cause the communication terminal corresponding to the user to issue a warning to the user as the sickness reduction process for the user; A motion sickness reduction system, wherein the warning includes at least one of displaying a suggestion to the user of a direction in which the user is less likely to become motion sick, and stopping the provision of the individual content to the communication terminal corresponding to the user when the user faces the direction in which the user is more likely to become motion sick.

2. 2. The motion sickness reduction system according to claim 1, The information processing device is configured to further execute a content determination process that determines the overall content to be provided by the content providing device based on the planned route of the vehicle and the motion sickness susceptibility data stored in each of the plurality of communication terminals.

3. 3. The motion sickness alleviation system according to claim 1 or 2, The information processing device is configured to, in the sickness level estimation process, transmit the riding status of the corresponding user to each of the plurality of communication terminals, and to have the plurality of communication terminals predict the sickness level of the corresponding user using the sickness susceptibility data and the riding status.

4. An information processing device for reducing motion sickness, which is installed in a vehicle and configured to communicate with a plurality of communication terminals assigned to a plurality of users respectively on the vehicle, a sickness level estimation process for estimating a sickness level of each of the plurality of users using the sickness susceptibility data of the users stored in each of the plurality of communication terminals and the riding states of the plurality of users sensed within the vehicle while the vehicle is moving; a sickness reduction treatment process for performing sickness reduction treatment on the plurality of users based on the estimated sickness levels; configured to run the riding state includes a posture of each of the plurality of users calculated from an image taken inside the vehicle; When the sickness level estimation process estimates that the sickness level of some users is equal to or higher than a predetermined threshold, the information processing device switches from providing overall content shared by the plurality of users in the vehicle to providing individual content to each of the plurality of users via the plurality of communication terminals; and when the reduction process determines that a user whose sickness level is equal to or higher than the threshold is facing in a direction that makes the user more susceptible to sickness, the information processing device causes the communication terminal corresponding to the user to issue a warning to the user as the sickness reduction process for the user. The warning includes at least one of displaying a suggestion to the user of a direction in which the user is less likely to become motion sick, and stopping the provision of the individual content to the communication terminal corresponding to the user when the user faces the direction in which the user is more likely to become motion sick.

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