Sickness reduction device, sickness reduction method, and sickness reduction program

Abstract

A sickness reduction device (1) causes a display device (40) to display a sickness-reducing image to reduce sickness in a subject, the sickness reduction device including: a data management unit (10) that acquires timing selection information (B1) indicating the subject's preference regarding a timing (T1) at which to start presentation of the sickness-reducing image and acquires biological data (A1) obtained by sensing the condition of the subject; and a control unit (20) that calculates a sickness level (C1) indicating the degree of sickness in the subject on the basis of the biological data (A1) and determines the timing (T1) at which to start presentation on the basis of the sickness level (C1) and the timing selection information (B1).

Description

Sickness reduction device, sickness reduction method, and sickness reduction program

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a sickness reduction device, a sickness reduction method, and a sickness reduction program.

[0002] There has been a proposal for a video control device that measures the brain activity of a viewer (i.e., a subject) watching a video, estimates a motion vector, which is a feature related to the movement of the video, from the obtained brain activity data, and controls the display of the video based on the feature (see, for example, Patent Document 1).This device estimates feature related to the movement in the video that affects the living body by measuring brain activity, and it is possible to control the video effect given to the viewer based on the obtained result.

[0003] In addition, in order to reduce motion sickness in the user (i.e., the subject), a device has been proposed that displays on a display device motion sickness prevention information (i.e., motion sickness reduction image) that moves in the opposite direction to the direction in which a moving object rotates (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

[0004] Furthermore, there has been proposed a sickness control device that displays sickness control images (i.e., sickness reduction images) to reduce motion sickness or visual sickness in a user (i.e., a subject) (see, for example, Patent Document 3).

[0005] JP 2012-073350 A International Publication No. 2021 / 106270 International Publication No. 2022 / 215258

[0006] However, if the timing to start presenting the sickness reduction image (e.g., a moving object) is too early, the sickness reduction image will enter the field of view of a subject who is not feeling sick, reducing the subject's comfort. On the other hand, if the timing to start presenting the sickness reduction image is too late, the subject may become severely sick.

[0007] The present disclosure aims to provide a sickness reduction device, a sickness reduction method, and a sickness reduction program that enable appropriate timing for starting to present sickness reduction images.

[0008] The sickness reduction device disclosed herein is a device that displays sickness reduction video that reduces sickness in a subject on a display device, and is characterized by having: a data management unit that acquires timing selection information that indicates the subject's preference for the timing to start presenting the sickness reduction video and acquires biometric data obtained by sensing the subject's condition; and a control unit that calculates a sickness level that indicates the subject's degree of sickness based on the biometric data and determines the presentation start timing based on the sickness level and the timing selection information.

[0009] The sickness reduction method disclosed herein is a method implemented by a sickness reduction device that displays on a display device a sickness reduction image that reduces sickness in a subject, and is characterized by having the steps of acquiring timing selection information indicating the subject's preference for the timing to start presenting the sickness reduction image and acquiring biometric data obtained by sensing the subject's state, calculating a sickness level that indicates the subject's degree of sickness based on the biometric data, and determining the presentation start timing based on the sickness level and the timing selection information.

[0010] By using the sickness reduction device, sickness reduction method, or sickness reduction program of the present disclosure, the timing to start presenting the sickness reduction video can be set appropriately.

[0011] 1 is a functional block diagram schematically illustrating the configuration of a sickness reduction device according to embodiment 1. FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of biometric data, which is time-series objective evaluation data, and sickness evaluation data, which is time-series subjective evaluation data. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the relationship between biometric data, which is time-series objective evaluation data, and time-series subjective evaluation data. (A) is a diagram schematically illustrating a change in sickness level when a sickness reduction video is not displayed, (B) is a diagram schematically illustrating a change in sickness level when presentation and disclosure of a sickness reduction video is accelerated, and (C) is a diagram schematically illustrating a change in sickness level when presentation and disclosure of a sickness reduction video is delayed. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the hardware configuration of a sickness reduction device according to embodiment 1. FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of a sickness reduction device according to embodiment 1. FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram schematically illustrating the configuration of a sickness reduction device according to embodiment 2. FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of a sickness reduction device according to embodiment 2. FIG. 6 is a functional block diagram schematically illustrating the configuration of a sickness reduction device according to embodiment 3. FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of a sickness reduction device according to embodiment 3. FIG. 8 is a functional block diagram schematically illustrating the configuration of a sickness reduction device according to embodiment 4. Fig. 10 is a flowchart showing the operation of the sickness reduction device according to embodiment 4. Fig. 11 is a functional block diagram showing an outline of the configuration of the sickness reduction device according to embodiment 5. Fig. 12 is a flowchart showing the operation of the sickness reduction device according to embodiment 5.

[0012] Hereinafter, a sickness reduction device, a sickness reduction method, and a sickness reduction program according to embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. The following embodiments are merely examples, and the embodiments can be appropriately combined and modified.

[0013] Embodiment 1. FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a sickness reduction device 1 according to embodiment 1. The sickness reduction device 1 is a device for presenting sickness reduction video (also referred to as "sickness prevention video") to a human subject (also referred to as a "user") in order to reduce sickness experienced by a person watching a video (also referred to as "visual sickness") or sickness experienced by a person riding in a moving vehicle (also referred to as "motion sickness"). The sickness reduction video is video for reducing sickness in the subject. The sickness reduction device 1 is a device capable of implementing the sickness reduction method according to embodiment 1. The sickness reduction device 1 is, for example, a computer capable of executing the sickness reduction program according to embodiment 1. The computer serving as the sickness reduction device 1 may be a computer system configured by cloud computing using a computer network.

[0014] The sickness reduction device 1 has a display control unit 30 that controls the display device 40, a data management unit 10 that acquires and manages data, and a control unit 20 that calculates a sickness level C1 that indicates the degree of sickness (also called "severity") based on the data acquired by the data management unit 10, and determines the timing T1 to start presenting the sickness reduction video based on the sickness level C1 and the data acquired by the data management unit 10.

[0015] The display control unit 30 displays the sickness reduction image on the display device 40. The display device 40 is, for example, a liquid crystal display panel, a head-mounted display (HMD), an image projector, or the like.

[0016] Various methods are known for reducing motion sickness, such as displaying indicators to suppress nystagmus while viewing motion sickness-inducing images, reducing brightness, adjusting movement to avoid frequency bands that are likely to cause motion sickness, and reducing vection.

[0017] When the subject is watching an image displayed on the display device 40, the sickness reduction image is, for example, a stimulation pattern displayed around a gaze area near the center of the screen. The stimulation pattern is, for example, a pattern or object that gradually changes the display position, display color, brightness, degree of blur, etc. Examples of sickness reduction images are described in, for example, Patent Documents 2 and 3 and Non-Patent Document 1. However, examples of sickness reduction images are not limited to those described in these documents.

[0018] Kotoyoshi Sasayama et al., "A Method for Reducing VR Sickness in Virtual Scenery," Transactions of the Information Processing Society of Japan, Mathematical Modeling and Applications, Vol. 14, No. 2, pp. 13-23, March 2021

[0019] When a subject is riding in a moving body and viewing scenery, the motion sickness reduction image is, for example, a stimulation pattern projected onto the windshield of the moving body, i.e., an automobile. The stimulation pattern is, for example, a pattern or object that gradually changes the display position, display color, brightness, degree of blur, etc. Examples of motion sickness reduction images are described in, for example, Patent Documents 2 and 3 and Non-Patent Document 1. However, examples of motion sickness reduction images are not limited to those described in these documents.

[0020] The data management unit 10 acquires biometric data A1 obtained by sensing the subject's condition, and acquires timing selection information B1 indicating the subject's preference regarding the timing T1 at which the sickness reduction video presentation will begin. The data management unit 10 stores the biometric data A1 in a sickness accumulation information database (DB). The data management unit 10 also stores the timing selection information B1 in the sickness reduction video presentation start timing DB. The data management unit 10 stores, for example, data on the sickness reduction video in the sickness reduction video DB.

[0021] The biometric data A1 is information consisting of detection information detected by a sensor, such as the subject's brain waves, respiratory rate, pulse, blood pressure, body temperature, etc., or video information detected based on a video of the subject's face captured by a camera, or both the detection information and the video information. For example, the subject's condition (also known as the "autonomic nervous system condition") can be obtained from the camera video based on facial color, facial expression, facial temperature, etc. The biometric data includes at least one of a video of the subject's face and a detection signal detected by a sensor that detects the subject's physical condition. The biometric data A1 is time-series objective evaluation data. Because the biometric data A1 is acquired by real-time sensing using a sensor, it has very high temporal resolution (also referred to as "ultra-high").

[0022] The timing selection information B1 is input to the data management unit 10 by operating an input unit (e.g., a keyboard, a mouse, a touch panel, etc.). The timing selection information B1 is, for example, information in which the presentation start timing T1 of the sickness reduction image is selected from options (e.g., delay, advance, or do not change). Options include, for example, advancing, delaying, or not changing the presentation start timing T1.

[0023] The data management unit 10 may acquire sickness assessment data A2, which is subjective time-series data indicating the degree of sickness felt by the subject while watching a predetermined sickness-inducing video. The sickness assessment data A2 preferably includes multiple time-series data with different time resolutions.

[0024] Fig. 2 is an explanatory diagram of biometric data A1, which is time-series objective evaluation data, and sickness evaluation data A2, which is time-series subjective evaluation data. Fig. 3 is a diagram showing the relationship between biometric data A1, which is time-series objective evaluation data, and sickness evaluation data A2.

[0025] 1, 2, and the upper part of Fig. 3, the biometric data A1 is biometric detection information obtained by, for example, real-time sensing of a subject viewing a predetermined sickness-inducing video. This biometric detection information includes time-series data representing the sickness level indicating the degree of sickness of the subject.

[0026] As shown in the middle and bottom rows of Figures 1, 2, and 3, the sickness evaluation data A2 includes, for example, time-series subjective evaluation data #1, #2, and #3 with different time resolutions.

[0027] The subjective evaluation data #1 is time-series data acquired, for example, at a time resolution of once per minute (at time intervals P1 in FIG. 3 ) by a subject viewing a sickness-inducing video inputting the degree of sickness they feel by operating an input unit (for example, an input button). The subjective evaluation data #1, which is sickness evaluation data A2, has high time resolution but relatively low accuracy.

[0028] The subjective evaluation data #2 is obtained by a subject viewing a sickness-inducing video evaluating the degree of sickness they feel using the Fast Motion Sickness Scale (FMS), a method for verbally reporting the level of discomfort, and is, for example, time-series data acquired at time intervals P2 in Fig. 3. The subjective evaluation data #2, which is sickness evaluation data A2, has medium time resolution and medium accuracy.

[0029] The subjective evaluation data #3 is data obtained by a subject viewing a sickness-inducing video assessing the degree of sickness they feel using the Simulator Sickness Questionnaire (SSQ), a questionnaire-style measurement method after viewing the sickness-inducing video (after the experiment). The subjective evaluation data #3, which is sickness evaluation data A2, has very low time resolution (also referred to as "ultra-low") but relatively high accuracy.

[0030] The time-series data included in the sickness evaluation data A2 is not limited to the subjective evaluation data #1, #2, and #3, and may include other types of time-series data. Furthermore, the time-series data included in the sickness evaluation data A2 does not need to include all of the subjective evaluation data #1, #2, and #3.

[0031] The control unit 20 includes a time-series data identification unit 21 that identifies data of the same subject, a sickness level calculation unit 22 that calculates a sickness level C1 using a learning model, and a sickness reduction image presentation determination unit 23 that determines (or determines) the presentation start timing T1 of the sickness reduction image. The control unit 20 calculates the sickness level C1 indicating the degree of sickness of the subject at t3 and determines the presentation start timing T1 based on the sickness level C1 and timing selection information B1. The control unit 20 can calculate the sickness level C1 using a learning model. The learning model can be generated and updated by machine learning using classification or regression, or by deep learning such as a deep neural network (DNN). The control unit 20 can calculate the sickness level C1 of the subject based on biometric data A1 and sickness assessment data A2, and determine the presentation start timing T1 based on the sickness level C1 and timing selection information B1.

[0032] Figure 4(A) is a diagram that schematically shows the change in sickness level when the sickness reduction video is not displayed, Figure 4(B) is a diagram that schematically shows the change in sickness level when the sickness reduction video is presented and disclosed earlier, and Figure 4(C) is a diagram that schematically shows the change in sickness level when the sickness reduction video is presented and disclosed later.

[0033] 4B or 4C , the sickness reduction device 1 according to embodiment 1 can, for example, set the timing selection information B1 to first selection information that starts presentation of sickness reduction video at time t11 earlier than reference time t12, which is the time when sickness level C1 is estimated to reach a predetermined threshold, or second selection information that starts presentation of sickness reduction video at time t13 later than reference time t12, based on the subject's selection. In other words, the sickness reduction device 1 can select and determine the timing selection information B1 from among starting presentation of sickness reduction video before sickness onset, starting presentation of sickness reduction video after sickness onset, and leaving the time to start presentation of sickness reduction video to the sickness reduction device 1.

[0034] If the subject dislikes the reduced viewing comfort caused by the display of the sickness reduction video (for example, a stimulus pattern included in the sickness reduction video is displayed around the center of the screen) more than the occurrence of sickness, the start of presentation of the sickness reduction video can be delayed as shown in Fig. 4(C). On the other hand, if the subject dislikes the occurrence of sickness more than the reduction in viewing comfort caused by the display of the sickness reduction video, the start of presentation of the sickness reduction video can be advanced as shown in Fig. 4(B).

[0035] 5 is a diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the sickness reduction device 1 according to embodiment 1. The sickness reduction device 1 includes a processor 101 such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a memory 102 as a storage device such as a RAM (Random Access Memory), a storage device 103 as a non-volatile storage device such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or an SSD (Solid State Drive), and an interface 104. These components may be configured using dedicated processing circuitry.

[0036] The processor 101 can execute the sickness reduction program according to embodiment 1. The sickness reduction program is recorded on a recording medium such as an SD (Secure Digital) memory card or a USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory card, or is provided by downloading via a network. The hardware configuration shown in Fig. 5 is an example, and various modifications to the hardware configuration are possible.

[0037] 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the sickness reduction device 1 according to embodiment 1. First, the data management unit 10 acquires timing selection information B1 indicating the subject's preference regarding the timing T1 at which the sickness reduction video presentation should begin (step S101), and then acquires biometric data A1 obtained by sensing the subject's state and sickness evaluation data A2, which is subjective time-series data indicating the degree of sickness felt by the subject while watching the sickness-inducing video (step S102). The processes of steps S101 and S102 may be performed in reverse order or in parallel.

[0038] Next, the control unit 20 calculates the sickness level C1 based on the biometric data A1 and the sickness evaluation data A2 (step S103). Note that the control unit 20 can also calculate the sickness level C1 based on the biometric data A1 without using the sickness evaluation data A2.

[0039] Next, the control unit 20 determines whether the current time is the timing to start presenting the sickness reduction image based on the sickness level C1 and timing selection information B1 for the same subject (step S104). If the current time is the timing to start presenting the sickness reduction image, the display control unit 30 causes the display device 40 to display the sickness reduction image (step S105) and obtains the subject's evaluation of the validity of the presentation of the sickness reduction image (whether it is appropriate from the perspective of sickness reduction and display comfort). If the current time is not the timing to start presenting the sickness reduction image, the control unit 20 causes the display control unit 30 to display the calculation result of the sickness level on the display device 40 (step S107) and obtains the subject's evaluation of the validity of the calculation result (whether the sickness level is appropriate) (step S108). Note that the processes of steps S106 to S108 are necessary during learning. In this way, feedback of the results can improve the performance of the learning model. Therefore, the processes of steps S106 to S108 may be omitted when performing inference using a learning model.

[0040] As described above, the sickness reduction device 1, sickness reduction method, or sickness reduction program according to embodiment 1 can be used to appropriately set the timing T1 at which the sickness reduction video is presented. Specifically, by setting the timing selection information B1 by the subject, the sickness reduction video can be presented at a time that is appropriate for the subject from the perspectives of sickness reduction and display comfort.

[0041] 7 is a functional block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a sickness reduction device 2 according to embodiment 2. The sickness reduction device 2 according to embodiment 2 differs from the sickness reduction device 1 according to embodiment 1 in that the data management unit 10a acquires movement information A3 indicating the movement of the video being viewed by the subject or the movement of the actual scenery being viewed by the subject (i.e., the movement of the vehicle in which the subject is riding), and the control unit 20a calculates a sickness level C1 based on the biometric data A1 and the movement information A3.

[0042] The motion information A3 can be calculated using an existing algorithm from an optical flow that represents a movement trajectory detected from the movement of an object between frames of video, or from the amount of rotation of a virtual camera.

[0043] 8 is a flowchart showing the operation of the sickness reduction device 2 according to embodiment 2. First, the data management unit 10a acquires timing selection information B1 indicating the subject's preference regarding the timing T1 at which the sickness reduction video presentation should begin (step S201), and then receives biometric data A1 obtained by sensing the subject's state and sickness assessment data A2, which is subjective time-series data indicating the degree of sickness felt by the subject while watching the sickness-inducing video (step S202). The processes of steps S201 and S202 may be performed in reverse order or in parallel.

[0044] Next, the data management unit 10a acquires movement information A3 indicating the movement of the video viewed by the subject or the movement of the actual scenery viewed by the subject (step S203).

[0045] Next, the control unit 20a calculates the sickness level C1 based on the biometric data A1, the sickness evaluation data A2, and the movement information A3 (step S204). Note that the control unit 20 can also calculate the sickness level C1 based on the biometric data A1 and the movement information A3 without using the sickness evaluation data A2.

[0046] Next, the control unit 20a determines whether the current time is the timing to start presenting the sickness reduction image based on the sickness level C1 and the timing selection information B1 (step S104). If the current time is the timing to start presenting the sickness reduction image, the display control unit 30 causes the display device 40 to display the sickness reduction image (step S105) and obtains the subject's evaluation of the validity of the presentation of the sickness reduction image. If the current time is not the timing to start presenting the sickness reduction image, the control unit 20a causes the display control unit 30 to display the calculation result of the sickness level on the display device 40 (step S107) and obtains the subject's evaluation of the validity of the calculation result (step S108). Note that the processes of steps S106 to S108 are necessary during learning. In this way, feedback of the results can improve the performance of the learning model. Therefore, the processes of steps S106 to S108 may be omitted when performing inference using a learning model.

[0047] As described above, by using the sickness reduction device 2, sickness reduction method, or sickness reduction program according to embodiment 2, the timing T1 at which the sickness reduction video is presented can be set appropriately. Specifically, by having the subject set the timing selection information B1, the sickness reduction video can be presented at a time that is appropriate for the subject from the perspectives of sickness reduction and display comfort. Except for the above, embodiment 2 is the same as embodiment 1.

[0048] 9 is a functional block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a sickness reduction device 3 according to embodiment 3. The sickness reduction device 3 according to embodiment 3 differs from the sickness reduction device 1 according to embodiment 1 in that the data management unit 10b acquires in advance constitutional data A4 indicating the subject's susceptibility to sickness, and the control unit 20b calculates the sickness level C1 based on the biometric data A1 and the constitutional data A4. The control unit 20b may calculate the sickness level C1 based on the biometric data A1, sickness evaluation data A2, and the constitutional data A4.

[0049] The data management unit 10b acquires constitutional data A4 (i.e., characteristic data of the subject) indicating the subject's susceptibility to motion sickness in advance and stores it in the constitutional data DB. A person's susceptibility to motion sickness is acquired, for example, by responses to a questionnaire survey conducted in advance for each subject to acquire motion sickness susceptibility characteristics. As the questionnaire survey, for example, the Motion Sickness Susceptibility Questionnaire (MSSQ) can be used. Alternatively, each subject may be asked to view a sickness-inducing video, which is a sample video for measuring motion sickness, and to report a score that is a numerical value representing the level of motion sickness. The score may then be used to acquire each subject's motion sickness susceptibility.

[0050] 10 is a flowchart showing the operation of the sickness reduction device 3 according to embodiment 3. First, the data management unit 10b acquires constitutional data A4 (step S301), acquires timing selection information B1 indicating the subject's preference regarding the timing T1 at which the sickness reduction video presentation should begin (step S302), and acquires biometric data A1 obtained by sensing the subject's condition and sickness evaluation data A2, which is subjective time-series data indicating the degree of sickness felt by the subject while watching the sickness-inducing video (step S303).

[0051] Next, the control unit 20b calculates the sickness level C1 based on the biometric data A1, the sickness evaluation data A2, and the constitution data A4 (step S305). Note that the control unit 20b can also calculate the sickness level C1 based on the biometric data A1 and the constitution data A4 without using the sickness evaluation data A2.

[0052] Next, the control unit 20b determines whether the current time is the timing to start presenting the sickness reduction image based on the sickness level C1 and the timing selection information B1 (step S104). If the current time is the timing to start presenting the sickness reduction image, the display control unit 30 causes the display device 40 to display the sickness reduction image (step S105) and obtains the subject's evaluation of the validity of the presentation of the sickness reduction image. If the current time is not the timing to start presenting the sickness reduction image, the control unit 20b causes the display control unit 30 to display the calculation result of the sickness level on the display device 40 (step S107) and obtains the subject's evaluation of the validity of the calculation result (step S108). Note that the processes of steps S106 to S108 are necessary during learning. In this way, feedback of the results can improve the performance of the learning model. Therefore, the processes of steps S106 to S108 may be omitted when performing inference using a learning model.

[0053] As described above, by using the sickness reduction device 3, sickness reduction method, or sickness reduction program according to embodiment 3, the timing T1 at which the sickness reduction video is presented can be set appropriately. Specifically, by setting the timing selection information B1 by the subject, the sickness reduction video can be presented at a time that is appropriate for the subject from the perspectives of sickness reduction and display comfort. Except for the above, embodiment 3 is the same as embodiment 1 or 2.

[0054] 11 is a functional block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a sickness reduction device 4 according to embodiment 4. The sickness reduction device 4 according to embodiment 4 differs from the sickness reduction device 1 according to embodiment 1 in that the data management unit 10c acquires importance information B2 indicating the importance of the video (i.e., content) or scenery being viewed by the subject, and the control unit 20c calculates the sickness level C1 based on the biometric data A1 and the importance information B2. The control unit 20c may calculate the sickness level C1 based on the biometric data A1, sickness evaluation data A2, and the importance information B2.

[0055] The importance information B2 can be said to indicate the type of video or scenery that the subject is watching. If the video that the subject is watching is work-related video, the importance information B2 is information indicating "high importance." On the other hand, if the video that the subject is watching is entertainment content video such as video game application software (e.g., virtual reality (VR) video), the importance information B2 is information indicating "low importance." For example, when the subject is watching content of high importance, it is undesirable for the content video to be obscured by the motion sickness reduction video, so control is performed to automatically delay the start of presentation of the motion sickness reduction video.

[0056] 12 is a flowchart showing the operation of the sickness reduction device 4 according to embodiment 4. First, the data management unit 10c acquires timing selection information B1 indicating the subject's preference regarding the timing T1 at which the sickness reduction video presentation should begin and importance information B2 indicating the importance of the video or scenery (step S401), and then acquires biometric data A1 obtained by sensing the subject's state and sickness evaluation data A2, which is subjective time-series data indicating the degree of sickness felt by the subject while watching the sickness-inducing video (step S402).

[0057] Next, the control unit 20c calculates the sickness level C1 based on the biometric data A1, the sickness evaluation data A2, and the constitution data A4 (step S305). Note that the control unit 20c can also calculate the sickness level C1 based on the biometric data A1 without using the sickness evaluation data A2.

[0058] Next, the control unit 20c determines whether the current time is the timing to start presenting the sickness reduction image based on the sickness level C1, timing selection information B1, and importance information B2 (step S104). If the current time is the timing to start presenting the sickness reduction image, the display control unit 30 causes the display device 40 to display the sickness reduction image (step S105) and obtains the subject's evaluation of the validity of the presentation of the sickness reduction image. If the current time is not the timing to start presenting the sickness reduction image, the control unit 20c causes the display control unit 30 to display the calculation result of the sickness level on the display device 40 (step S107) and obtains the subject's evaluation of the validity of the calculation result (step S108). Note that the processes of steps S106 to S108 are necessary during learning. In this way, feedback of the results can improve the performance of the learning model. Therefore, the processes of steps S106 to S108 may be omitted when performing inference using a learning model.

[0059] As described above, by using the sickness reduction device 4, sickness reduction method, or sickness reduction program according to embodiment 4, the timing T1 at which the sickness reduction video is presented can be set appropriately. Specifically, the sickness reduction video can be presented at a time appropriate for the subject from the perspective of sickness reduction and display comfort, based on the subject's setting of timing selection information B1 and importance information B2. Except for the above, embodiment 4 is the same as any of embodiments 1 to 3.

[0060] 13 is a functional block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a sickness reduction device 5 according to embodiment 5. The sickness reduction device 5 according to embodiment 5 differs from the sickness reduction device 1 according to embodiment 1 in that a data management unit 10d acquires movement information A3 indicating the movement of an image being viewed by the subject or the movement of an actual scene being viewed by the subject, acquires in advance constitutional data A4 indicating the subject's susceptibility to sickness, acquires importance information B2 indicating the importance of the image or scene being viewed by the subject, and a control unit 20d calculates a sickness level C1 based on biometric data A1, sickness evaluation data A2, movement information A3, and constitutional data A4. The control unit 20d may calculate the sickness level C1 based on the biometric data A1 and the sickness evaluation data A2.

[0061] 14 is a flowchart showing the operation of the sickness reduction device 5 according to embodiment 5. First, the data management unit 10d acquires constitutional data A4 indicating the subject's susceptibility to sickness (step S501), acquires timing selection information B1 indicating the subject's preference for the timing T1 at which the sickness reduction video presentation should start and importance information B2 indicating the importance of the video or scenery (step S502), acquires biometric data A1 obtained by sensing the subject's condition and sickness evaluation data A2, which is subjective time-series data indicating the degree of sickness felt by the subject while watching the sickness-inducing video (step S503), and acquires movement information A3 of the video or scenery (step S504).

[0062] Next, the control unit 20d calculates the sickness level C1 based on the biometric data A1, the sickness evaluation data A2, the movement information A3, and the constitution data A4 (step S505). Note that the control unit 20d may calculate the sickness level C1 based on the biometric data A1, the movement information A3, and the constitution data A4, or on any combination of the biometric data A1, the sickness evaluation data A2, the movement information A3, and the constitution data A4, without using the sickness evaluation data A2.

[0063] Next, the control unit 20c determines whether the current time is the timing to start presenting the sickness reduction image based on the sickness level C1, the timing selection information B1, and the importance information B2 (step S104). If the current time is the timing to start presenting the sickness reduction image, the display control unit 30 causes the display device 40 to display the sickness reduction image (step S105) and obtains the subject's evaluation of the validity of the presentation of the sickness reduction image. If the current time is not the timing to start presenting the sickness reduction image, the control unit 20c causes the display control unit 30 to display the calculation result of the sickness level on the display device 40 (step S107) and obtains the subject's evaluation of the validity of the calculation result (step S108). Note that the processes of steps S106 to S108 are necessary during learning. In this way, feedback of the results can improve the performance of the learning model. Therefore, the processes of steps S106 to S108 may be omitted when performing inference using a learning model.

[0064] As described above, by using the sickness reduction device 5, sickness reduction method, or sickness reduction program according to embodiment 5, the timing T1 at which the sickness reduction video is presented can be set appropriately. Specifically, by having the subject set the timing selection information B1, the sickness reduction video can be presented at a time that is appropriate for the subject from the perspectives of sickness reduction and display comfort. Except for the above, embodiment 5 is the same as any of embodiments 1 to 4.

[0065] 1 to 5: Sickness reduction device (computer), 10, 10a to 10d: Data management unit, 20, 20a to 20d: Control unit, 30: Display control unit, 40: Display device, A1: Biometric data (objective evaluation data), A2: Sickness evaluation data (subjective evaluation data), A3: Movement information, A4: Constitution data, B1: Timing selection information, B2: Importance information (type information), C1: Sickness level, T1: Presentation start timing.

Claims

1. A sickness reduction device that displays on a display device a sickness reduction image that reduces the sickness of a subject, comprising: a data management unit that acquires timing selection information indicating the subject's preference for the timing to start presenting the sickness reduction image and acquires biometric data obtained by sensing the subject's condition; and a control unit that calculates a sickness level that indicates the subject's degree of sickness based on the biometric data, and determines the presentation start timing based on the sickness level and the timing selection information.

2. The sickness reduction device described in claim 1, characterized in that the data management unit acquires sickness assessment data, which is subjective data indicating the degree of sickness felt by the subject while watching a predetermined sickness-inducing video, and the control unit calculates the sickness level based on the biometric data and the sickness assessment data.

3. The sickness reduction device according to claim 2, characterized in that the sickness assessment data includes a plurality of time-series data with different time resolutions as the subjective data.

4. The sickness reduction device of claim 1, characterized in that the data management unit acquires movement information indicating the movement of the image being viewed by the subject or the movement of the actual scenery being viewed by the subject, and the control unit calculates the sickness level based on the biometric data and the movement information.

5. The sickness reduction device of claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the data management unit acquires movement information indicating the movement of the image being viewed by the subject or the movement of the actual scenery being viewed by the subject, and the control unit calculates the sickness level based on the biometric data, the sickness assessment data, and the movement information.

6. The sickness reduction device according to claim 1, characterized in that the data management unit acquires in advance physical constitution data indicating the subject's susceptibility to sickness, and the control unit calculates the sickness level based on the biometric data and the physical constitution data.

7. The sickness reduction device according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the data management unit acquires in advance physical constitution data indicating the subject's susceptibility to sickness, and the control unit calculates the sickness level based on the biometric data, the sickness assessment data, and the physical constitution data.

8. The sickness reduction device according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the data management unit acquires in advance physical constitution data indicating the subject's susceptibility to sickness, and the control unit calculates the sickness level based on the biometric data, the sickness assessment data, the movement information, and the physical constitution data.

9. The sickness reduction device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the data management unit acquires importance information indicating the importance of the image or scenery being viewed by the subject, and the control unit determines the presentation start timing based on the sickness level, the timing selection information, and the importance information.

10. A sickness reduction device as described in any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the timing selection information includes first selection information that starts the presentation of the sickness reduction image at a time earlier than a reference time point, which is the time point at which the sickness level is estimated to reach a predetermined threshold, or second selection information that starts the presentation of the sickness reduction image at a time later than the reference time point.

11. A sickness reduction device as described in any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the biometric data includes at least one of an image of the subject's face and a detection signal detected by a sensor that detects the subject's physical condition.

12. A sickness reduction method implemented by a sickness reduction device that displays on a display device a sickness reduction image that reduces the sickness of a subject, comprising the steps of: acquiring timing selection information indicating the subject's preference for the timing to start presenting the sickness reduction image, and acquiring biometric data obtained by sensing the subject's condition; calculating a sickness level indicating the subject's degree of sickness based on the biometric data, and determining the presentation start timing based on the sickness level and the timing selection information.

13. A sickness reduction program that causes a computer to display on a display device a sickness reduction image that reduces sickness in a subject, the computer executing the steps of: acquiring timing selection information indicating the subject's preference for the timing to start presenting the sickness reduction image, and acquiring biometric data obtained by sensing the subject's condition; calculating a sickness level indicating the subject's degree of sickness based on the biometric data, and determining the timing to start presenting the image based on the sickness level and the timing selection information.

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