Optical Flow Motion Cues for Vehicle Occupant Comfort
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Solution Overview
Problem
Passengers in vehicles experience motion sickness due to visual-vestibular incongruences caused by focusing on stationary visual events inside the car, as the external environment's motion cues are absent, leading to unpleasant symptoms.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that utilize vehicle motion data and occupant data to generate and display motion cues as optical flow on vehicle functional surfaces, such as dashboards and door panels, providing immersive visualization of the vehicle's surroundings, using existing sensors like inertial measurement units and vision cameras, and displaying these cues through LEDs, optical fibers, or flexible displays.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If passengers focus on stationary visual events inside the car (infotainment devices), then visual information is provided to passengers, but visual-vestibular incongruences are created causing motion sickness symptoms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary system (display device showing abstract reproductions of surroundings) that mediates between the stationary interior environment and the moving exterior environment. This intermediary provides motion cues through abstract visual representations that correspond to the vehicle's actual motion, reconciling the visual-vestibular conflict without requiring passengers to view the actual moving exterior through windows.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameter of visual motion representation by displaying abstract reproductions that transform real-world visual information into processed motion cues. These abstract representations modify visual parameters (motion patterns, orientations, positions) to provide appropriate motion information that matches the vehicle's movement characteristics, thereby preventing motion sickness while maintaining visual engagement.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If motion cues are displayed to provide visual-vestibular congruence, then motion sickness is reduced, but device complexity increases due to multiple sensors and processing requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies multi-functionality by using a single display device to serve multiple purposes: it displays abstract reproductions of surroundings for motion cueing, shows infotainment content, and provides navigational information. This consolidates multiple functions into one device, reducing overall system complexity while still providing the necessary motion cues to prevent motion sickness.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates simplified copies (abstract reproductions) of the external environment rather than displaying the full complexity of real-world visuals. These abstract copies capture only the essential motion characteristics needed for vestibular congruence, reducing processing requirements and system complexity while maintaining the motion sickness prevention function.
3Loss of information
If abstract reproductions of surroundings are displayed on multiple surfaces, then immersive visualization is enhanced, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the display function across multiple vehicle surfaces (dashboard, door panels, windshield) to create an immersive omnidirectional visualization experience. Each surface displays portion of the abstract reproduction corresponding to its spatial location, collectively forming a complete immersive environment. This segmentation approach enhances immersion while allowing each individual display component to be manufactured using standard techniques.
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
The present application describes a method and respective system for reducing the motion sickness symptoms experienced by an occupant (6) of a vehicle based on optical flow. The technology now developed is based on generation of motion cues (5), which provides to the occupant (6) visual complementary information, via artificial enhancements, of the actual visual scene surrounding the vehicle. Said artificial enhancements are related to vehicle's functional surfaces (4) disposed within peripheral visual field of the occupant (6), such as dashboards, a-pillars, door panels or vehicle's floor.