Systems and methods for suppressing motion sickness

• US 7,918,781 B1
• Filed: 03/22/2006
• Issued: 04/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Army (Government of the United States of America)
• Original Assignee: The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Army
• Inventors: Smyth, Christopher C., Smyth, David C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Marmor, II; Charles A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Burk; Catherine E.
• Application Number:
  US11/387,079
• Time in Patent Office: 1,840 Days
• Field of Search: 600 26- 28
• US Class Current: 600/27
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2021/005 images, e.g. video
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 21/00 Other devices or methods to cause a change in the state of consciousness; Devices for producing or ending sleep by mechanical, optical, or acoustical means, e.g. for hypnosis
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/332 Force measuring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/502 User interfaces, e.g. screens or keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/507 Head Mounted Displays [HMD]
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/014 comprising information/image processing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0141 characterised by the informative content of the display
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0187 slaved to motion of at least a part of the body of the user, e.g. head, eye
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0101 characterised by optical features G02B27/0172 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/012 Head tracking input arrangements

Abstract

Systems for suppressing motion sickness are provided. In this regard, an exemplary system comprises a display device and a display controller. The display device is operative to display a first image and a second image. The display controller communicates with the display device and is operative to control display of the second image such that the second image moves relative to the display device in response to at least one of: motion of the first image relative to the display device, and motion of the display device. Methods and other systems also are provided.

Claims

1. A system for suppressing motion sickness, said system comprising:

a display device operative to display a first image and a second image;

a display controller communicating with the display device and operative to control display of the second image such that the second image moves relative to the display device in response to at least one of;

motion of the first image relative to the display device, and motion of the display device;

an image motion sensor operative to determine motion of the first image relative to the display device from a velocity flow field of the first image and from a viewing distance of a viewer, the image motion sensor providing information corresponding to motion of the first image to the display controller;

a display motion sensor operative to determine motion of the display device, the display motion sensor providing information corresponding to the motion of the display device to the display controller;

wherein the display controller comprises;

a compensatory image engine operative to determine a second image composite motion based on both the motion of the first image relative to the display device and the motion of the display device;

wherein the second image is a discrete simple geometric figure which is changed in accordance with the movement speed and direction of the second image.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the display device has a scene field for displaying the first image; and

the second image is displayed outside of the scene field.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the display device has a compensatory field for displaying the second image, at least a portion of the compensatory field being located adjacent to an outer edge of the scene field.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the compensatory field surrounds the scene field.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the second image comprises a morphologic variation of a circle the form of which is changed in accordance with the movement speed and direction of the second image;

wherein the second image comprises a size, the value of which is changed in accordance with the movement speed and direction of the second image;

wherein the second image comprises color hue and saturation intensity, the values of which are changed in accordance with the movement speed and direction of the second image;

wherein the changes of the form, size, color hue and saturation intensity comprise a synchronized manner in accordance with the movement speed and direction of the second image.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the second image is a circle or morphologic variations in the form thereof, constituting at least one of a circle, ellipse, elongated ellipse, cusp, sector, or a chevron, in accordance with the movement speed and direction of the second image.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the second image comprises a morphologic variation of a chevron the form of which is changed in accordance with the movement speed and direction of the second image;

wherein the chevron has an apex, the apex pointed generally in a direction of motion of the second image;

wherein the chevron has an included angle, the included angle decreased as a speed of the second image with respect to the display device increases, and increased as the speed of the second image decreases.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the second image comprises an increasing size, brighter intensity, and reddish hue during acceleration, and the second image decreasing size, decreased intensity, and bluish hue during de-acceleration.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the compensatory image engine further comprises a means of determining a compensatory velocity flow field for the second image; and

the second image comprises separation into frames each of which displays separate multiple second image in accordance with the movement speed and direction of the compensatory velocity flow field.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein:

the second image comprises one of multiple second images;

wherein as the velocity flow of the second images changes, a spacing between the second images is changed in accordance.

11. A method for suppressing motion sickness in a viewer of a display device, the display device displaying a first image, said method comprising:

determining a motion component of the first image from changes in a velocity flow field of the image, and from a viewing distance of a viewer;

displaying a second image to the user, the second image moving generally counter to a composite motion, the composite motion comprising a first component corresponding to the motion of the first image, and a second component corresponding to a motion of the display device; and

displaying the second image as a discrete simple geometric figure which is changed in accordance with a movement speed and direction of the second image.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein:

the display device displays the first image within a scene field; and

the second image is displayed outside the scene field.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the second image is a morphologic variation of a circle the form of which is changed in accordance with the movement speed and direction of the second image;

wherein the second image has a size, the value of which is changed in accordance with the movement speed and direction of the second image;

wherein the second image has a color hue and saturation intensity, the values of which are changed in accordance with the movement speed and direction of the second image; and

wherein the second image has an apex, the apex pointing generally in a direction of motion of the second image; and

wherein the form, size, color hue and saturation intensity are changed in a synchronous manner in accordance with the movement speed and direction of the second image.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the second image displays an increasing size, brighter intensity, and reddish hue during acceleration, and the second image decreasing size, decreased intensity, and bluish hue during de-acceleration.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the method further consists of:

determining a compensatory velocity flow field for the second image; and

separating the second image into frames each of which displays separate multiple second images in accordance with the movement speed and direction of the compensatory velocity flow field.

15. The method 13, wherein the second image is a morphologic variation of a circle constituting at least one of a circle, ellipse, elongated ellipse, cusp, sector, or chevron, in accordance with the movement speed and direction of the second image.

17. A method for suppressing motion sickness in a viewer of a display device, the display device displaying a first image, said method comprising:

displaying a second image to the user, the second image moving relative to the display device in a manner corresponding to at least one of;

motion of the first image relative to the display device, and motion of the display device;

wherein the display device displays the first image within a scene field; and

the second image is displayed outside the scene field;

wherein the second image is a chevron having an apex, the apex pointing generally in a direction of motion of the second image;

wherein the chevron has an included angle, the included angle decreasing as a speed of the second image with respect to the display device increases, and increasing as the speed of the second image decreases.

18. A method for suppressing motion sickness in a viewer of a display device, the display device displaying a first image, said method comprising:

displaying a second image to the user, the second image moving relative to the display device in a manner corresponding to at least one of;

motion of the first image relative to the display device, and motion of the display device;

wherein the display device displays the first image within a scene field; and

the second image is displayed outside the scene field;

wherein the second image is one of multiple second images;

wherein as a velocity flow of the second images changes, a spacing between the second images changes in accordance.