HMD Motion Sickness Monitoring with Supplemental Sound

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Solution Overview

Problem

Users wearing head-mounted displays (HMDs) often experience motion sickness due to discrepancies between visually perceived movement and vestibular sensations, leading to discomfort and nausea, which existing technologies have not adequately addressed.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of a system within HMDs that monitors users for motion sickness through sensors and delivers supplemental sound or vibrations to alleviate symptoms, including the use of bone conduction audio and adaptive game intensity adjustments to reduce discomfort.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the rate of change of the presentation of the virtual reality is increased to provide immersive experience, then the user experience is improved, but the user experiences motion sickness

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimmersive experienceVSAvoidmotion sickness

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies supplemental sound before or during the onset of motion sickness to counteract the harmful effects. The sound is specifically designed to offset the vestibular-visual conflict caused by high-rate virtual reality changes, preventing motion sickness rather than treating it after occurrence.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Solution Approach 2:

Supplemental sound acts as an intermediary element between the visual virtual reality stimulus and the user's vestibular system. The sound provides additional sensory information that helps reconcile the conflict between visual motion perception and actual vestibular sensations, reducing motion sickness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the rate of change of the presentation of the virtual reality is decreased to reduce motion sickness, then motion sickness is reduced, but the immersive experience is degraded

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemotion sicknessVSAvoidimmersive experience

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system merges multiple sensory modalities (visual virtual reality and supplemental sound) to achieve the desired effect. By combining these different sensory inputs, the system maintains immersive experience through rich visual content while using sound to counteract motion sickness, avoiding the need to reduce visual fidelity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If supplemental sound is delivered to counteract motion sickness, then motion sickness symptoms are reduced, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemotion sickness symptomsVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The HMD device incorporates multiple functions: virtual reality display, motion monitoring sensors, and supplemental sound delivery. This multi-functional integration allows the single device to address both immersive experience and motion sickness control without requiring separate independent systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses the HMD's own integrated sensors to monitor user motion and automatically adjusts supplemental sound delivery based on detected motion parameters. This self-monitoring and self-adjusting capability reduces the need for external control systems and simplifies the overall device architecture.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Effectively reduces motion sickness symptoms by providing targeted auditory and vibrational stimuli, enhancing the user experience by minimizing discomfort and allowing continued engagement with virtual reality content.

Implementation Method 1

the supplemental sound is delivered via bone conduction

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectBone conduction:

Implementation Method 2

Sometimes the HMD may also be configured to generate vibrations to stimulate the vestibular system of the user

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectVibration: Vibration

Data Source

PatentEP3253468B1Motion sickness monitoring and application of supplemental sound to counteract sickness

Publication Date: 2020.12.02 SONY INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT LLC

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AI summary

Methods, systems, and computer programs are presented for managing motion sickness of a user while the user is wearing a head-mounted device (HMD). One method includes an operation for monitoring the physical characteristics of the user while wearing the HMD that is presenting a virtual reality with multimedia content, where the physical characteristics including motions of the user. The multimedia content includes audio and video for presentation on a display of the HMD. Additionally, the method includes an operation for determining if the user is experiencing motion sickness based on the monitoring of the physical characteristics of the user while the virtual reality is being presented. When the user is experiencing motion sickness, supplemental sound is delivered to the user, where the supplemental sound is combined with sound from the multimedia content for delivery to the user, and the supplemental sound is defined to decrease the motion sickness experienced by the user.