Apparatus and method for relieving motion sickness

• US 6,692,428 B1
• Filed: 12/10/1999
• Issued: 02/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fountainhead, LLC
• Original Assignee: Fountainhead, LLC
• Inventors: Kania, Bruce
• Primary Examiner(s): Winakur, Eric F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Veniaminov, Nikita R
• Application Number:
  US09/458,814
• Time in Patent Office: 1,530 Days
• Field of Search: 600/27, 600/595, 600/509, 600/587, 600/545, 600/322, 114/191, 381/73.1, 381/1, 847/20, 273/449, 473/221
• US Class Current: 600/27
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2021/0027 by the hearing sense
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2021/005 images, e.g. video
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 21/0094 Isolation chambers used therewith, i.e. for isolating individuals from external stimuli other treatment rooms or enclosures A61G10/00

Abstract

A method and apparatus used for relieving motion sickness. The apparatus includes a sensor which detects a motion of an object and a sensory converter coupled to the sensor and configured to convert the detected motion to corresponding sensory signals for presentation to a user. In addition, the sensory signals have a variation in spectral emphasis in proportion to the detected motion. The sensory signals include video, audio and white noise signals and resolve a conflict between vestibular, ocular, and proprioceptive inputs of the user, thus relieving motion sickness.

Claims

1. An apparatus for relieving motion sickness, comprising:

a 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, said 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 said sensor senses said property in at least one of six degrees of freedom.

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

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said presentation mechanism comprises at least one of an earphone, headphone, speaker, and video display.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said sensory converter comprises a mechanism configured to generate video signals which correspond to said sensory signals.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said sensory converter comprises a mechanism configured to generate audio signals which correspond to said sensory signals.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said sensory converter comprises a mechanism configured to generate white noise signals which correspond to said sensory signals.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the property sensed by the sensor comprises a motion of the object, and

wherein the sensory converter comprises:

a first mechanism configured to vary a spectral emphasis of a first frequency range of said white noise signals in proportion to a sensed pitching motion of said object; and

a second mechanism configured to vary a spectral emphasis of a second frequency range of said white noise signals in proportion to a sensed yawing motion of said object.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising:

a proximity sensor coupled to said sensory converter and configured to detect a relative location of other objects.

10. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the property sensed by the sensor comprises a motion of the object, and

wherein the sensory converter comprises:

a first mechanism configured to vary a spectral emphasis of a first frequency range of said white noise signals in proportion to a sensed vertical motion of said object; and

a second mechanism configured to vary a spectral emphasis of a second frequency range of said white noise signals in proportion to a sensed yawing motion of said object; and

a third mechanism configured to vary a spectral emphasis of a third frequency range of said white noise signals in proportion to a sensed pitching motion of said object.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said sensor comprises a plurality of sensors to be attached to said user.

12. A method for relieving motion sickness, comprising:

sensing a property of an object in at least one of six degrees of freedom;

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

presenting said sensory signals to a user.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein said converting step comprises:

generating video signals which correspond to said sensory signals.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein said converting step comprises:

generating audio signals which correspond to said sensory signals.

15. The method according to claim 12, wherein said converting step comprises:

generating white noise signals which correspond to said sensory signals.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the property sensed in the sensing step comprises a motion of the object, and

wherein said converting step comprises:

varying a spectral emphasis of a first frequency range of said white noise signals in proportion to a sensed pitching motion of said object; and

varying a spectral emphasis of a second frequency range of said white noise signals in proportion to a sensed yawing motion of said object.

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein the property sensed in the sensing step comprises a motion of the object, and

wherein said step of converting comprises:

varying a spectral emphasis of a first frequency range of said white noise signals in proportion to a sensed vertical motion of said object; and

varying a spectral emphasis of a second frequency range of said white noise signals in proportion to a sensed yawing motion of said object; and

varying a spectral emphasis of a third frequency range of said white noise signals in proportion to a sensed pitching motion of said object.

18. The method according to claim 15, further comprising:

detecting a relative location of other objects; and

converting said sensed relative motion to said corresponding sensory signals.

19. A process of assembling an apparatus for relieving motion sickness, comprising:

providing a sensor which senses a property of an object;

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

connecting a presentation mechanism to an output of tie sensory converter, the presentation mechanism configured to present said sensory signals to a user.

20. The process according to claim 19, wherein said sensor senses said motion in at least one of six degrees of freedom.

21. The process according to claim 19, wherein the property sensed by the sensor comprises a motion of the object.

22. The process according to claim 21, further comprising:

providing said sensory converter with a first mechanism configured to vary a frequency of a first signal within a first predetermined range around a first center frequency in proportion to a sensed pitching motion of said object; and

providing said sensory converter with a second mechanism configured to vary a frequency of a second signal within a second predetermined range around a second center frequency in proportion to a sensed yawing motion of said object.

23. The process according to claim 21, further comprising:

providing said sensory converter with;

a first mechanism configured to vary a frequency of a first signal within a first predetermined range around a first center frequency in proportion to a sensed vertical motion of said object;

a second mechanism configured to vary a frequency of a second signal within a second predetermined range around a second center frequency in proportion to a sensed yawing motion of said object; and

a third mechanism configured to vary a frequency of a third signal within a third predetermined range around a third center frequency in proportion to a sensed pitching motion of said object.

24. The process according to claim 19, further comprising:

providing said sensor, said sensory converter, and said presentation mechanism in a common housing.

25. The process according to claim 19, wherein said presentation mechanism comprises at least one of an earphone, headphone, speaker, and video display.

26. The process according to claim 19, further comprising:

providing said sensory converter with a mechanism configured to generate video signals which correspond to said sensory signals.

27. The process according to claim 19, further comprising:

providing said sensory converter with a mechanism configured to generate audio signals which correspond to said sensory signals.

28. The process according to claim 19, further comprising:

providing said sensory converter with a mechanism configured to generate white noise signals which correspond to said sensory signals.

29. The process according to claim 28, further comprising:

providing said sensory converter with;

a first mechanism configured to vary a spectral emphasis of a first frequency range of said white noise signals in proportion to a sensed pitching motion of said object; and

a second mechanism configured to vary a spectral emphasis of a second frequency range of said white noise signals in proportion to a sensed yawing motion of said object,

wherein the property sensed by the sensor comprises a motion of the object.

30. The process according to claim 28, further comprising:

providing the sensory converter with;

a first mechanism configured to vary a spectral emphasis of a first frequency range of said white noise signals in proportion to a sensed vertical motion of said object; and

a second mechanism configured to vary a spectral emphasis of a second frequency range of said white noise signals in proportion to a sensed yawing motion of said object; and

a third mechanism configured to vary a spectral emphasis of a third frequency range of said white noise signals in proportion to a sensed pitching motion of said object,

wherein the property sensed by the sensor comprises a motion of the object.

31. The process according to claim 19, further comprising:

providing said sensor with a plurality of sensors to be attached to said user.

32. The process according to claim 19, further comprising:

coupling a proximity sensor to said sensory converter, said proximity sensor configured to detect a relative location of other objects.

33. A system for relieving motion sickness, comprising:

means for sensing a property of an object in at least one of six degrees of freedom;

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

means for presenting said sensory signals to a user.

34. The system according to claim 33, wherein the property sensed by the sensing means comprises a motion of the object.

35. The system according to claim 34, wherein said converting means further comprises:

means for varying a frequency of a first signal within a first predetermined range around a first center frequency in proportion to a sensed pitching motion of said object; and

means for varying a frequency of a second signal within a second predetermined range around a second center frequency in proportion to a sensed yawing motion of said object.

36. The system according to claim 34, wherein said converting means comprises:

means for varying a frequency of a first signal within a first predetermined range around a first center frequency in proportion to a sensed vertical motion of said object;

means for varying a frequency of a second signal within a second predetermined range around a second center frequency in proportion to a sensed yawing motion of said object; and

means for varying a frequency of a third signal within a third predetermined range around a third center frequency in proportion to a sensed pitching motion of said object.

37. The system according to claims 33, wherein said presenting means presents said sensory signals to said user using at least one of an earphone, headphone, speaker, and video display.

38. The system according to claim 33, wherein said converting means comprises:

means for generating video signals which correspond to said sensory signals.

39. The system according to claim 33, wherein said converting means comprises:

means for generating audio signals which correspond to said sensory signals.

40. The system according to claim 33, wherein said converting means comprises:

means for generating white noise signals which correspond to said sensory signals.

41. The system according to claim 40, wherein the property sensed by the sensor comprises a motion of the object, and

wherein said converting means further comprises:

means for varying a spectral emphasis of a first frequency range of said white noise signals in proportion to a sensed pitching motion of said object; and

means for varying a spectral emphasis of a second frequency range of said white noise signals in proportion to a sensed yawing motion of said object.

42. The system according to claim 40, wherein the property sensed by the sensor comprises a motion of the object, and

wherein said converting means comprises:

means for varying a spectral emphasis of a first frequency range of said white noise signals in proportion to a sensed vertical motion of said object; and

means for varying a spectral emphasis of a second frequency range of said white noise signals in proportion to a sensed yawing motion of said object; and

means for varying a spectral emphasis of a third frequency range of said white noise signals in proportion to a sensed pitching motion of said object.

43. The system according to claim 40, further comprising:

means for detecting a relative location of other objects; and

means for converting said sensed relative motion to said corresponding sensory signals.