Passenger Alert Signals for Motion Sickness in Autonomous Vehicles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Motion sickness is prevalent in autonomous vehicles due to discrepancies between sensory information and body expectations, exacerbated by unpredictable vehicle movements, leading to symptoms like nausea, headaches, or dizziness, which existing countermeasures fail to adequately address.
Innovation Solution
A method that identifies upcoming driving events along the vehicle's route and alerts passengers via mobile devices with tailored warning signals, including visual, audible, and haptic cues, and adjusts vehicle seats to minimize lateral movement, using environmental sensors and vehicle data to prepare occupants for impending maneuvers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If automated driving functions are introduced with role reversal, then productivity is improved by allowing passengers to read or work, but motion sickness occurs due to discrepancy between sensory information and body expectations
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by detecting upcoming driving events (acceleration, braking, turning) using sensors and navigation data, then issuing alert signals to passengers before the vehicle actually executes the maneuver. This advance warning allows passengers to mentally prepare and adjust their sensory expectations, preventing motion sickness while maintaining autonomous driving functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring vehicle state through sensors (acceleration, steering angle, speed) and comparing actual vehicle behavior with expected passenger perception. The alert signal generation is based on this feedback loop, issuing warnings when detected maneuvers exceed thresholds that would cause sensory discrepancy and motion sickness.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If alert signals are issued to passengers, then motion sickness is reduced, but device complexity increases by requiring mobile device integration and sensor data processing
Solution Approach 1:
The system achieves universality by utilizing existing vehicle sensors (acceleration sensors, steering angle sensors, speed sensors) and navigation systems already present in modern vehicles. The mobile device serves multiple functions: receiving alert signals, providing feedback on passenger state, and potentially controlling vehicle parameters. This multi-functionality reduces the need for dedicated specialized components.
Solution Approach 2:
The mobile device acts as an intermediary between the vehicle's sensor system and the passenger. It receives processed vehicle state data from the vehicle controller, generates appropriate alert signals, and can communicate passenger feedback back to the vehicle system. This intermediary role simplifies the integration complexity by providing a standardized communication interface.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If visual cues are displayed in the vehicle, then motion sickness is reduced, but ease of operation deteriorates if passengers are using mobile devices and may overlook vehicle displays
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from traditional vehicle display interfaces (2D screens in the vehicle cabin) to mobile device interfaces (portable devices already in the passenger's hands). By delivering alert signals through the mobile device's display, speakers, or haptic feedback, the system ensures the passenger is already attending to the information channel, eliminating the attention conflict between vehicle displays and mobile device usage.
Data Source
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AI summary
To provide a method for preventing motion sickness and/or reducing its symptoms, a method for providing at least one alert signal (19, 20, 21) to a person (24) in a vehicle (100) is proposed, comprising the following steps: - Determining the upcoming driving segment, - Determining at least one driving event along the upcoming driving segment, - Generating alert data relating to the driving event and transmitting the alert data to a mobile terminal (10a, 10b) and/or an output device (22), - Generating the at least one alert signal (19, 20, 21) based on the alert data, and - Outputting the alert signal (19, 20, 21) by means of the mobile terminal (10a, 10b) and/or the output device (22).