Apparatus and method for relieving motion sickness

• US 6,443,913 B1
• Filed: 03/07/2000
• Issued: 09/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fountainhead, LLC
• Original Assignee: Bruce G. Kania
• Inventors: Kania, Bruce
• Primary Examiner(s): Winakur, Eric F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Veniaminov, Nikita R
• Application Number:
  US09/520,226
• Time in Patent Office: 910 Days
• Field of Search: 600/27, 600/595, 600/484, 600/546, 381/98, 381/1, 137/38, 340/945, 128/898, 128/202.11
• US Class Current: 600/595
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/11 Measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof, e.g. head or hand tremor, mobility of a limb for measuring pulse A61B5/02 ;A61B5/1038 takes precedence; motion detection to correct for motion artifacts in physiological signals A61B5/721
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4023 Evaluating sense of balance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/486 Bio-feedback A61B5/375 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6803 Head-worn items, e.g. helmets, masks, headphones or goggles
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36021 for treatment of pain
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0753 Control by change of position or inertia of system

Abstract

A method and apparatus used for relieving motion sickness, in which a sensor senses a property of an object and a sensory converter coupled to the sensor converts the sensed motion to related sensory signals for presentation to a user. The sensory signals include, for example, audio signals, display signals, electronic stimulation, mechanical stimulation, white noise, etc. The audio, electrical and mechanical sensory signals have a variation in spectral emphasis related to the sensed motion, such as by varying a bandwidth, a center frequency, and an amplitude of a first range of the sensory signals. The display signals have a variation in a display characteristic and the audio tone signals have a variation in time intervals between successive audio tones. The audio tones may also include audio messages containing words. The sensory signals are used to resolve a conflict between vestibular, ocular, and proprioceptive inputs of the user, thus relieving motion sickness. The apparatus also includes ON/OFF switches configured to turn ON and OFF desired components within the apparatus. Further, the properties sensed by the sensor may be exaggerated.

Claims

1. An apparatus for relieving motion sickness, comprising:

at least one sensor which senses a property of an object;

a sensory converter coupled to said sensor and configured to convert said sensed property to corresponding sensory signals having a variation in spectral emphasis in proportion to said sensed property; and

a presentation mechanism configured to present said sensory signals to a user.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor includes at least one of 1) an accelerometer, 2) a gyro, 3) a GPS control unit, 4) a strain gauge, 5) an inclinometer, 6) an atmospheric control unit, 7) a pressure control unit and 8) a simulating control unit.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor includes three accelerometers configured to respectively sense a pitch, yaw and roll of the object.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the presentation mechanism includes a wireless communication port configured to present the sensory signals to the user.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the presentation mechanism includes at least one of 1) an earphone, 2) a headphone, 3) a display, 4) a speaker, 5) a mechanical/electrical wristband or headband and 6) speaker earrings.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a pendant receiver/transmitter configured to receive the sensory signals from the sensory converter and to transmit the received sensory signals to the user via the presentation mechanism.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a pocket receiver/transmitter configured to receive the sensory signals from the sensory converter and to transmit the sensory signals to the user via the presentation mechanism.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the pocket receiver comprises:

a channel selector configured to select a channel on which to receive the sensory signals from the sensory converter;

an ON/OFF mechanism configured to turn ON and OFF the pocket receiver/transmitter;

a volume mechanism configured to adjust a volume of the pocket receiver/transmitter;

a display configured to display the channel selected by the channel selector; and

a wireless communication port configured to receive/transmit the sensory signals.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

an exaggeration mechanism configured to exaggerate the properties of the object sensed by the at least one sensor.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the exaggeration mechanism includes a computer process configured to exaggerate the properties of the object sensed by the at least one sensor.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor is disposed at positions on said object such that the sensed properties of the object are exaggerated.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

at least one ON/OFF switch respectively corresponding to said at least one sensor, said sensory converter and said presentation mechanism, and configured to turn ON and OFF the respective said at least one sensor, said sensory converter and said presentation mechanism.

13. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is disposed on at least one of 1) an airplane, 2) a ship, 3) an elevator, and 4) a submarine.

14. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is included with a virtual reality game or video game.

15. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sensory converter comprises:

a first mechanism configured to vary said spectral emphasis including at least one of

     1) a bandwidth and

     2) a center frequency of a first frequency range of said sensory signals in proportion to a sensed pitching motion of said object; and

a second mechanism configured to vary said spectral emphasis including at least one of

     1) a bandwidth and

     2) a center frequency of a second frequency range of said sensory signals in proportion to a sensed yawing motion of said object.

16. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said at least one sensor senses said motion in at least one of six degrees of freedom.

17. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said at least one sensor, said sensory converter, and said presentation mechanism are included in a common housing.

18. A method for relieving motion sickness, comprising:

sensing a property of an object;

converting said motion sensed in said sensing step to corresponding sensory signals having a variation in spectral emphasis in proportion to said sensed property; and

presenting said sensory signals to a user.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the sensing step senses the property of the object via at least one of 1) an accelerometer, 2) a gyro, 3) a GPS control unit, 4) a strain gauge, 5) an inclinometer, 6) an atmospheric control unit, 7) a pressure control unit and 8) a simulating control unit.

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein the sensing step senses the property of the object via three accelerometers configured to respectively sense a pitch, yaw and roll of the object.

21. The method according to claim 18, wherein the presenting step presents the sensory signals to the user via wireless communication.

22. The method according to claim 18, wherein the presenting step presents the sensory signals to the user via at least one of 1) an earphone, 2) a headphone, 3) a display, 4) a speaker, 5) a mechanical/electrical wristband or headband and 6) speaker earrings.

23. The method according to claim 18, further comprising:

receiving the sensory signals from the sensory converter via a pendant receiver/transmitter.

24. The method according to claim 18, further comprising:

receiving the sensory signals from the sensory converter a pocket receiver/transmitter.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein the pocket receiver/transmitter comprises:

a channel selector configured to select a channel on which to receive the sensory signals from the sensory converter;

an ON/OFF mechanism configured to turn ON and OFF the pocket receiver/transmitter;

a volume mechanism configured to adjust a volume of the pocket receiver/transmitter;

a display configured to display the channel selected by the channel selector; and

a wireless communication port configured to receive/transmit the sensory signals.

26. The method according to claim 18, further comprising:

exaggerating the properties of the object sensed in the sensing step.

27. The method according to claim 26, wherein the exaggerating step includes a computer process configured to exaggerate the properties of the object sensed by the sensing step.

28. The method according to claim 18, wherein the sensing step senses the property of the object via at least one sensor disposed at positions on said object such that the sensed properties of the object are exaggerated.

29. A system for relieving motion sickness, comprising:

means for sensing a property of an object;

means for converting said motion sensed in said sensing means to corresponding sensory signals having a variation in spectral emphasis in proportion to said sensed property; and

means for presenting said sensory signals to a user.

30. The system according to claim 29, wherein the sensing means senses the property of the object via at least one of 1) an accelerometer, 2) a gyro, 3) a GPS control unit, 4) a strain gauge, 5) an inclinometer, 6) an atmospheric control unit, 7) a pressure control unit and 8) a simulating control unit.

31. The system according to claim 29, wherein the sensing means senses the property of the object via three accelerometers configured to respectively sense a pitch, yaw and roll of the object.

32. The system according to claim 29, wherein the presenting means presents the sensory signals to the user via wireless communication.

33. The system according to claim 29, wherein the presenting means presents the sensory signals to the user via at least one of 1) an earphone, 2) a headphone, 3) a display, 4) a speaker, 5) a mechanical/electrical wristband or headband and 6) speaker earrings.

34. The system according to claim 29, further comprising:

means for receiving the sensory signals from the sensory converter via a pendant receiver/transmitter.

35. The system according to claim 29, further comprising:

means for receiving the sensory signals from the sensory converter a pocket receiver/transmitter.

36. The system according to claim 35, wherein the pocket receiver/transmitter comprises:

means for selecting a channel on which to receive the sensory signals from the sensory converter;

means for turning ON and OFF the pocket receiver/transmitter;

means for adjusting a volume of the pocket receiver/transmitter;

means for displaying the channel selected by the channel selector; and

wireless communication means for receiving/transmitting the sensory signals.

37. The system according to claim 29, further comprising:

means for exaggerating the properties of the object sensed in the sensing step.

38. The system according to claim 37, wherein the exaggerating means includes computer process means for exaggerating the properties of the object sensed by the sensing means.

39. The system according to claim 29, wherein the sensing means senses the property of the object via at least one sensor disposed at positions on said object such that the sensed properties of the object are exaggerated.