Motion sickness reduction device using transducer

Abstract

A motion sickness reduction device is disclosed. More specifically, the present invention relates to a device for reducing a motion sickness phenomenon caused by a mismatch between visual information perceived by the eyes and sensing information by the vestibular system. According to an embodiment of the present invention, a difference between visual information received by a user and motion information perceived by the vestibular system is checked, a moving direction based on a rigid body motion of the vestibular system is calculated, and a mechanical stimulus corresponding to the visual information is applied to the vestibular system through a bone conduction unit worn by the user, thereby having the effect of minimizing a motion sickness phenomenon caused by a difference between visual information and motion information of a user riding in a vehicle or watching VR content.

Description

Motion sickness reduction device using transducers

[0001] The present invention relates to a motion sickness reduction device, and more particularly, to a device that reduces motion sickness caused by a gap between visual information perceived by the eyes and sensory information from the vestibular organ.

[0002] Motion sickness is a condition in which the main symptoms are autonomic nervous system disorders such as dizziness and vomiting. It is known to be caused by temporary confusion in the brain when there is a mismatch in input between sensory organs (visual, somatosensory, semicircular canal, etc.) that maintain balance or detect movement and posture.

[0003] Motion sickness commonly seen in daily life includes the feeling of nausea felt by passengers while driving a vehicle, ship, etc., and motion sickness in special situations includes the dizziness felt when using virtual reality (VR)-based content.

[0004] In addition, the motion sickness felt while driving is caused by the difference in movement caused by vibrations from the vehicle's movement being transmitted to the vestibular system, even though the passengers' eyes do not move, such as looking ahead.

[0005] In addition, motion sickness that occurs when watching VR content occurs because, unlike when riding in a vehicle as mentioned above, the user's eyes perceive a large amount of movement information due to the VR content playback, but the body is fixed, so no movement information is transmitted to the vestibular system, resulting in a mismatch.

[0006] In particular, motion sickness is pointed out as the most significant, chronic problem hindering the widespread adoption of VR devices. As previously mentioned, the user's movements and the visuals produced by the device are not synchronized, leading to cognitive dissonance between the body and brain, resulting in cognitive confusion. Unless this discomfort is addressed, the widespread adoption of VR devices and the virtual content they support is unlikely.

[0007] In order to reduce the motion sickness that occurs when using such VR devices, prior art patent publication No. 10-2016-0007957 discloses a technology that effectively reduces cybersickness by applying electrical vestibular stimulation to the user through a pair of galvanic electrodes attached to the mastoid processes of both ears of the user in conjunction with a virtual reality input device in a user-centered manner rather than a video-centered manner in 3D virtual reality.

[0008] However, according to these prior literatures, there is a problem in that since electrical stimulation must be directly applied to the user's face, there is a possibility of safety accidents such as electrical burns, and there is a risk of stimulating brain waves by having a pair of galvanic electrodes attached to the mastoid processes of each ear of the user and applying electrical vestibular stimulation to the user, and controlling a preset current output value to be applied to the pair of galvanic electrodes based on the movement input value provided from the virtual reality input device.

[0009] (Patent Document 1) Patent Publication No. 10-2016-0007957 (January 21, 2016)

[0010] The present invention has been devised to solve the above-mentioned problems, and the object of the present invention is to provide a motion sickness reduction device that can reduce motion sickness felt by a passenger in a vehicle or other means of transportation or a user using a virtual reality system such as VR content.

[0011] In addition, the present invention has another challenge in providing a motion sickness reduction device that significantly reduces the possibility of safety accidents by applying physical vibrations rather than directly applying electrical stimulation to the user.

[0012] In order to solve the above-described problem, a motion sickness reduction device using a transducer according to an embodiment of the present invention may include an information collection unit that collects one or more cognitive pieces of information recognized by a user riding a moving object or watching VR content, a cognitive information processing unit that estimates the state of a vestibular organ according to the user's current situation in response to the cognitive information, a control unit that generates a control signal corresponding to the estimated state of the vestibular organ, and a bone conduction unit that is worn around the user's ear and receives the control signal and outputs a bone conduction vibration signal to stimulate the vestibular organ.

[0013] The above cognitive information may include visual information including a surrounding image viewed from the user's point of view or a VR content image transmitted from a VR device worn on the user's face, and sensory information felt by the user according to changes in the user's posture and shaking.

[0014] The above cognitive information processing unit can determine the current senses of the user through the visual information and sensory information, and calculate the direction of movement according to the rigid body movement of the vestibular organ required to transition or maintain the user's senses to a stable state.

[0015] The above bone conduction unit includes a pair of transducers corresponding to the left and right ears of the user, and the pair of transducers can be placed on the skin in a form in which a plurality of transducers surround each of the user's two ears, with each ear being adjacent to the other.

[0016] The above pair of transducers can output vibration signals in an inaudible frequency band that induce rigid body movement of the vestibular organ in three non-parallel directions according to the input of the above control signal.

[0017] The vibration signal in the above-mentioned inaudible frequency band may be a signal of 20 Hz or less or 20 kHz or more.

[0018] According to an embodiment of the present invention, by confirming the difference between the visual information received by the user and the sensory information perceived by the vestibular organ, calculating the direction of movement according to the rigid body movement of the vestibular organ, and applying a mechanical stimulus corresponding to the visual information to the vestibular organ through a bone conduction unit worn by the user, there is an effect of minimizing the phenomenon of distance caused by the difference in sensory movement information that does not correspond to the visual information for the user riding in a vehicle or watching VR content.

[0019] FIG. 1 is a drawing showing the overall structure of a motion sickness reduction device using a transducer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] FIG. 2 is a drawing for explaining the structure of the vestibular organ to which vibration is transmitted and the direction of movement according to rigid body motion of a motion sickness reduction device using a transducer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 are drawings illustrating a method of installing a motion sickness detection device using a transducer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] FIG. 5 is a drawing illustrating a commercialized form of a motion sickness detection device using a transducer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] The present invention as described above will be described in detail through the attached drawings and examples.

[0024] It should be noted that the technical terms used in the present invention are used merely to describe specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present invention. Furthermore, unless specifically defined otherwise herein, the technical terms used herein should be interpreted as having a meaning generally understood by those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains, and should not be interpreted in an excessively broad or narrow sense. Furthermore, if a technical term used herein is incorrect and fails to accurately express the spirit of the present invention, it should be replaced with a technical term that can be correctly understood by those skilled in the art. Furthermore, general terms used herein should be interpreted according to their dictionary definitions or according to the context, and should not be interpreted in an excessively narrow sense.

[0025] Additionally, singular expressions used in the present invention include plural expressions unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. In the present invention, terms such as "consist of" or "include" should not be construed to necessarily include all of the components or steps described in the invention, and should be construed to mean that some of the components or steps may not be included, or that additional components or steps may be included.

[0026] Additionally, terms including ordinal numbers, such as "first" and "second," used in the present invention may be used to describe components, but the components should not be limited by these terms. These terms are used solely to distinguish one component from another. For example, without departing from the scope of the present invention, a first component could be referred to as a "second component," and similarly, a second component could also be referred to as a "first component."

[0027] Furthermore, in describing the present invention, detailed descriptions of related known technologies will be omitted if they are deemed to obscure the gist of the present invention. Furthermore, it should be noted that the attached drawings are intended solely to facilitate understanding of the spirit of the present invention and should not be construed as limiting the spirit of the present invention.

[0028] In the following description, the term referring to a motion sickness reduction device using a transducer according to an embodiment of the present invention may be used interchangeably as “motion sickness reduction device” or “device.”

[0029] Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. Regardless of the drawing numbers, identical or similar components are given the same reference numbers and redundant descriptions thereof will be omitted.

[0030] FIG. 1 is a drawing showing the overall structure of a motion sickness reduction device using a transducer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] Referring to FIG. 1, a motion sickness reduction device using a transducer according to an embodiment of the present invention may include an information collection unit (100) that collects one or more cognitive pieces of information recognized by a user riding a moving object or watching VR content, a cognitive information processing unit (200) that estimates the state of a vestibular organ according to the user's current situation in response to the cognitive information, a control unit (300) that generates a control signal corresponding to the estimated state of the vestibular organ, and a bone conduction unit (400) that is worn around the user's ear and receives a control signal and outputs a bone conduction vibration signal to stimulate the vestibular organ.

[0032] The information collection unit (100) can collect various types of information that the user perceives from the outside through the visual and vestibular organs.

[0033] A motion sickness reduction device using a transducer according to an embodiment of the present invention is a device that reduces motion sickness experienced by a user who moves in a vehicle, ship, etc., or views virtual space content such as a VR device, and is characterized by collecting and analyzing information to match the information when the user feels discomfort due to a mismatch in information perceived through the visual and vestibular organs during movement or viewing.

[0034] To this end, the motion sickness reduction device of the present invention may include an information collection unit (100) that collects various forms of cognitive information, including the user's field of view, the user's posture, or the vibration applied.

[0035] Here, cognitive information may include visual information about the surroundings that the user sees with his or her eyes, and sensory information about vibrations and current posture that the user feels with his or her body, and the sensory information refers to information felt by the vestibular organ, which is a body organ of the user.

[0036] Accordingly, the information collection unit (100) collects information in real time to enable analysis of cognitive information, including the aforementioned visual and sensory information. To this end, the information collection unit (100) may include a visual information input unit (110) and a sensory information input unit (120).

[0037] Here, the visual information input unit (110) can be equipped with its own photographing means or can be linked with an external device (10).

[0038] For example, in a situation where a user is riding in a moving vehicle, the visual information input unit (110) can be built into the motion sickness reduction device of the present invention, or can be linked to an external device (10) such as a camera device that generates image data by photographing a direction corresponding to the user's line of sight as a separate device, or a black box installed in the vehicle that photographs the front or surrounding situation, to collect visual information corresponding to the user's line of sight in real time.

[0039] In addition, in a situation where a user is watching virtual video content by wearing a VR device in a fixed location rather than a moving object such as a vehicle, the visual information input unit (110) is connected to the VR device by wire or wirelessly, and can collect video content currently being played on the VR device in real time.

[0040] In addition, the information collection unit (100) may include a sensory information input unit (120) for collecting sensory information felt by the user. This sensory information input unit (120) may include a geomagnetic sensor, a vibration sensor, etc. that detects vibrations that cause rigid body movement when the user's posture changes or when vibrations are applied to the body and transmitted to the vestibular organ, particularly around the ears, thereby collecting sensory information applied to the user in real time.

[0041] The cognitive information processing unit (200) can estimate the current state of the user's vestibular organ by analyzing the cognitive information collected through the information collection unit (100). As described above, the cognitive information includes the user's visual information and sensory information, and the state perceived by the eyes according to the user's current field of view can be determined through the visual information, and the state felt by the body, i.e., the vestibular organ, can be determined through the sensory information. The cognitive information processing unit (200) calculates the degree of mismatch between the collected visual information and sensory information.

[0042] For example, if the amount of change in the image according to visual information is below a threshold for a certain period of time, it can be seen that the visual information viewed by the user is fixed. In contrast, if the amount of change in the sensory information is above a threshold compared to the amount of change in the image, it can be seen that the vibration applied to the body is significant or the body posture is changing, unlike the user's line of sight, and thus it can be judged that the visual information and sensory information are not matched.

[0043] Accordingly, the cognitive information processing unit (200) receives visual information and sensory information in real time, and can estimate the state of the vestibular organ according to the current situation through the user's sensory information as well as the current situation perceived by the user through the visual information.

[0044] At this time, if the user is in a motion sickness-induced situation, the current situation perceived by the user's eyes and the state of the vestibular organ do not match, and the cognitive information processing unit (200) can estimate the degree of mismatch in a numerical form.

[0045] Here, the quantified degree of mismatch corresponds to the rigid body motion of the vestibular organ occurring in the X, Y, and Z axes.

[0046] A motion sickness reduction device according to an embodiment of the present invention minimizes motion sickness by matching information visually perceived by a user with sensory information transmitted to the vestibular organ in the user's body, thereby providing a means for controlling rigid body movement of the semicircular canal, which is a vestibular organ.

[0047] FIG. 2 is a drawing for explaining the structure of the vestibular organ to which vibration is transmitted and the direction of movement according to rigid body motion of a motion sickness reduction device using a transducer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0048] As shown in Figure 2, the vestibular organ includes a horizontal canal (h1), a posterior canal (f1), and an upper canal (b1) that are structured to form a right angle at different angles to each other, and is responsible for the sense of balance and spatial perception through rigid body movement according to vibrations transmitted thereto.

[0049] In particular, the horizontal canal (h1), posterior canal (f1), and superior canal (b1) can detect the direction of movement, rotational movement, and acceleration by stimulation in the X, Y, and Z directions, respectively, and recognize the body posture, etc., by hair cells.

[0050] Accordingly, in an embodiment of the present invention, a means capable of applying vibration in a specific direction, such as a transducer, is used to stimulate the vestibular organ, and motion sickness is minimized by matching the visual information perceived by the user with sensory information by applying a vibration signal so that the vibration in the intended X, Y, and Z directions corresponds to the collected visual information.

[0051] Here, stimulation in the X, Y, and Z directions can be selectively generated by a combination of the first and second transducers (410, 420) of the present invention described later.

[0052] The control unit (300) can generate a control signal to supplement the state of the vestibular organ according to the user's current situation estimated by the cognitive information processing unit (200) and output it to the bone conduction unit (400) described below.

[0053] Here, since visual information is a fixed parameter that cannot be changed, while sensory information can be viewed as corresponding to vibrations currently transmitted to the vestibular organ, the motion sickness reduction device according to an embodiment of the present invention supplements sensory information to correspond to visual information in the current user's state. To this end, the control unit (300) can generate a control signal that applies vibrations that induce rigid body movement in response to the state of the vestibular organ according to the user's current situation, and transmit the control signal to the bone conduction unit (400) that generates the vibrations.

[0054] In addition, the control unit (300) can generate and provide other control signals (cont) for controlling the operation of each component of the motion sickness reduction device of the present invention, such as the information collection unit (100) and the cognitive information processing unit (200), in addition to the control signal for controlling the bone conduction unit (400) described above.

[0055] The bone conduction unit (400) is a mechanical structure that includes a plurality of vibration generating means, and is worn on the user's face, particularly around the ears, to generate vibrations for reducing motion sickness according to a control signal output from the control unit (300) and transmit the vibrations to the vestibular organ.

[0056] In particular, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the bone conduction unit (400) is formed in a structure similar to a known headphone, earphone, etc., and a main board on which the aforementioned cognitive information processing unit (200) and control unit (300) are mounted can be built in. In addition, it includes a plurality of transducers (410, 420) electrically connected to the main board, and by controlling the operation of each transducer (410, 420) through a control signal, it is possible to generate an intended vibration.

[0057]

[0058] *Here, the transducers (410, 420) can be divided into a first transducer (410) and a second transducer (420) corresponding to each of the user's ears, respectively, and each transducer (410, 420) can be further divided into a plurality of sub-transducers and arranged around the user's ears, and the first transducer (410) and the second transducer (420) generate vibrations corresponding to control signals for both vestibular organs at their respective locations, thereby inducing appropriate rigid body movement according to the user's current state.

[0059] In addition, the vibration signal output from the first transducer (410) and second transducer (420) described above may be a signal in an inaudible frequency band so as not to be perceived by the user in the form of sound through bone conduction, and as a result of the simulation, it is preferable that it be a signal of 20 Hz or less or 20 kHz or more.

[0060] A detailed description of the external structure and wearing form of this bone conduction unit (400) will be described later.

[0061] According to the structure described above, the motion sickness reduction device using a transducer according to an embodiment of the present invention can minimize the occurrence of motion sickness by matching information on the surrounding situation perceived by the user with information felt by the vestibular organ through a bone conduction unit.

[0062] In addition, as described above, the motion sickness reduction device using the transducer of the present invention does not directly apply electric signals or the like to the vestibular organ, but only applies vibrations, and does not directly send electric current to the human body, so there is no burden of electric current, and it has the advantage of high safety as it does not cause skin irritation due to electricity.

[0063] Hereinafter, the technical idea of ​​the present invention will be described in detail through examples of the wearing method and appearance of a motion sickness reduction device using a transducer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0064] FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 are drawings illustrating a method of installing a motion sickness detection device using a transducer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0065] Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, a motion sickness detection device using a transducer according to an embodiment of the present invention controls sensory information detected by a vestibular organ according to the user's current state to match the user's current visual information, and a bone conduction unit as a means for this is implemented as a first transducer (410) and a second transducer (420), and these are arranged adjacent to the user's vestibular organs on both sides, respectively, to output vibrations in an intended direction, thereby controlling the sensory information.

[0066] In particular, as described above, since the vestibular organ is three-axis, the first transducer (410) is worn or placed so as to surround the left ear from three directions, and the second transducer (420) is placed so as to surround the right ear from three directions, and then each transducer is driven to output a vibration that stimulates the vestibular organ in a specific direction. As the vestibular organ performs a rigid body movement in response to the vibration, the user can control the sensation felt.

[0067] Accordingly, the transducers (410, 420) used in the motion sickness reduction device of the present invention can be placed in three each on both ears, for a total of six transducers.

[0068] In this structure, the first and second transducers (410, 420) output vibrations combined from three directions (1, 2, 3), respectively, thereby inducing rigid body movement toward an intended vector for the vestibular organ. The direction of this vibration can correspond to a change in the user's posture, movement, or shaking, which is estimated to correspond to the user's current viewing point.

[0069] According to the simulation results, it is desirable to place the transducers in front, above, and below the ear, and for this purpose, a mechanical structure that allows the first and second transducers (410, 420) to be placed at their respective intended positions can be utilized. An example of the shape of such a mechanical structure will be described later.

[0070] FIG. 5 is a drawing illustrating a commercialized form of a motion sickness detection device using a transducer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0071] The motion sickness detection device according to an embodiment of the present invention may be implemented as a device having various mechanical structures, but it is preferable to implement it as a structure that allows the user to wear it comfortably and maintain the wearing state stably and continuously. For example, it may be implemented as having a structure similar to commercially available headphones, earphones, or neckband earphones.

[0072] As an example, referring to FIG. 5, the motion sickness reduction device of the present invention can be implemented in the form of a mechanical structure having various structures, but it is preferable that it be wearable or neckband-type and have an appearance similar to an earphone that can directly apply vibration in an intended direction adjacent to the vestibular organ.

[0073] In particular, such a neckband-type motion sickness reduction device may have a structure in which each transducer (414) is connected to each other in a shape that frames the ear, so as to advantageously place multiple transducers (410, 420) centered on the user's ears when worn, and a wiring electrically connected to each transducer (414) is embedded inside a connecting cable (416).

[0074] In addition, a transducer (410) is connected to one end of the connecting cable (416), and the other end can be connected to a body (417) on which a main board (500) is mounted, on which circuits and batteries necessary for driving a multi-reduction device are mounted.

[0075] In particular, the aforementioned body part (417) can be placed adjacent to the user's face as it receives a control signal and is electrically connected to the transducer (414) through a connection cable (416) to control it, and as an example, it can be in the form of a neckband wrapped around the user's neck.

[0076] In addition, although not shown, the motion sickness reduction device of the present invention can be applied in various forms of mechanical structures, such as those attached to a hat or in the form of a headband, in addition to the neckband form illustrated.

[0077] While the above description contains many specific details, it should be construed as illustrative of preferred embodiments rather than limiting the scope of the invention. Therefore, the invention should be defined not by the described embodiments, but by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. An information collection unit that collects one or more pieces of cognitive information recognized by a user riding a mobile device or watching VR content; A cognitive information processing unit that estimates the state of the vestibular organ according to the user's current situation in response to the above cognitive information; A control unit that generates a control signal corresponding to the estimated state of the vestibular organ; and A bone conduction unit that is worn around the user's ear and receives the control signal and outputs a bone conduction vibration signal to stimulate the vestibular organ. Motion sickness reduction device using a transducer including.

2. In paragraph 1, The above cognitive information is, Visual information including a surrounding image viewed in response to the user's point of view or a VR content image transmitted from a VR device worn on the user's face; and Sensory information felt by the user according to changes in the user's posture and shaking Motion sickness reduction device using a transducer including.

3. In paragraph 2, The above cognitive information processing unit, A motion sickness reduction device using a transducer that determines the current user's senses through the above visual and sensory information and calculates the direction of movement according to the rigid body movement of the vestibular organ required to transition or maintain the user's senses to a stable state.

4. In paragraph 1, The above bone conduction unit includes a pair of transducers corresponding to the user's left and right ears, The above pair of transducers, A motion sickness reduction device using transducers, each of which is placed on the skin in a manner such that a plurality of transducers surround the user's two ears.

5. In paragraph 4, The above pair of transducers, A motion sickness reduction device using a transducer, which outputs a vibration signal of an inaudible frequency band that induces rigid body movement of the vestibular organ in three non-parallel directions according to the input of the above control signal.

6. In paragraph 5, The vibration signal in the above inaudible frequency band is, A motion sickness reduction device using a transducer, the signal being 20 Hz or less or 20 kHz or more.

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