Vehicle Motion Sickness Reduction via Seat and Display Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for reducing motion sickness in vehicles do not account for the position and orientation of the vehicle seat or occupant, particularly in self-driving vehicles where occupants may not be facing the direction of travel, leading to ineffective countermeasures.
Innovation Solution
A system that includes a control unit coupled with a sensor system, navigation system, vehicle seat system, and display unit to generate and transmit signals for adjusting vehicle seats and stabilizing components, as well as displaying congruent sensory information to align the occupant's experience with the direction of travel, thereby counteracting motion sickness symptoms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the vehicle seat is oriented counter to the direction of travel in a self-driving vehicle, then the occupant can face a display unit or camera, but motion sickness symptoms occur due to mismatch between visual perception and actual movement direction
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates a virtual copy of the external environment through the display unit, showing images that represent the view from the direction of travel. This virtual copy allows the occupant to perceive motion in the correct direction even when physically oriented differently, resolving the conflict between flexible positioning and motion sickness prevention.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts display parameters including image selection, orientation, and timing based on vehicle motion data and seat orientation. By changing these parameters in real-time, the system ensures the visual information presented to the occupant always corresponds to the actual motion direction, preventing motion sickness regardless of seat orientation.
2Reliability
If images are displayed to correlate with observed movement, then visual perception matches movement, but the method does not account for seat orientation causing ineffective countermeasures
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adapts the displayed images based on real-time detection of seat orientation and vehicle motion. Rather than using fixed display parameters, the system continuously adjusts which images are shown and in what orientation to match both the vehicle's movement and the occupant's specific seat position, ensuring effectiveness across all orientations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses sensor data about seat orientation and vehicle motion as feedback to determine the appropriate images to display. This closed-loop approach ensures that the visual information presented always corresponds to the actual physical situation, making the motion sickness countermeasures effective regardless of seat orientation.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If multiple countermeasures are applied (air-conditioning, fragrance, seat massage), then comfort is improved, but the system does not address the root cause of motion sickness related to visual-vestibular mismatch
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces mechanical countermeasures (air-conditioning, fragrance dispensing, seat massage) with an information-based solution using display units. Instead of physically altering the environment to mask symptoms, the system addresses the root cause by providing accurate visual information that matches vestibular input, eliminating motion sickness at its source rather than treating symptoms.
Data Source
AI summary
A system reduces motion sickness symptoms in operation of a vehicle. The system has a control unit which is coupled to a sensor system and/or to a navigation system, to a vehicle seat system, to a vehicle stabilization device and to a display unit for receiving and/or emitting signals. The sensor system and the navigation system are set up to receive environmental data and/or vehicle component data relating to the vehicle, from which movements of the vehicle result, and to transfer the data to the control unit. The control unit is set up to generate vehicle stabilization signals, seat adjustment signals and display signals on the basis of the received environmental data and/or vehicle component data.