Apple unveils innovative solution to combat motion sickness

Tech giant Apple is set to introduce a groundbreaking development aimed at reducing motion sickness during travel while using mobile devices. The patent involves dots that move along the sides of the screen in accordance with the direction of motion, preventing the "collision" between the brain and the vehicle's acceleration.

If you suffer from motion sickness, Apple promises to alleviate this condition. The tech giant has developed a new method to minimize or prevent nausea in cars through the use of on-screen animation that moves in sync with the direction of travel. This development will be showcased at Apple's annual developers' conference, set to take place in about two weeks.

To understand travel sickness, we first need to explain the body parts responsible for the sensation of movement. This sensation is a "puzzle" communicated to the brain by the inner ear, eyes, skin, and muscles. The inner ear contains the balance organ. The fluid's movements within allow us to sense body motion in all directions. The eyes, as we know, perceive the visual aspect of movement. Receptors on the skin enable the sensation of contact with the ground, and muscles signal to the brain about the body's posture.

All this information is transmitted to the brain, and through the interaction of the cerebral cortex, the cerebellum (which controls body balance), and other brain parts, our sense of location is established. But what happens when the signals sent to the brain don't align to form a consistent picture? This mismatch causes the feeling of nausea during travel.

What does this mean? When we sit in a car, for example, reading a book or watching a screen, the fluid in the inner ear and the skin receptors sense the car's movement, but the eyes focus on a stationary book or screen. The muscles also signal to the brain that the body is stationary. Thus, the brain receives conflicting messages, resulting in nausea and vomiting. This sensation is particularly common in children, whose brains are not yet adept at processing conflicting information regarding location, posture, and movement. However, many adults also suffer from motion sickness, especially when seated in the back seat, where the view of outside movement is limited.

In Apple's new development, dots appear on the sides of the screen without disrupting the content itself. The dots move according to the direction of travel: left, forward, backward, right, and stops. This way, the brain still has a sense of direction even while sitting statically, avoiding the "collision" between the travel felt by the inner ear's balance organ and the eyes focused on the iPhone without movement. It is likely that, like most Apple products, this development was released after extensive research proving its effectiveness.

Meanwhile, here are some tips to reduce nausea when traveling as a passenger in a car or any other vehicle:

Look Outside the Car: This helps the eyes convey to the brain that the person is traveling.For Toddlers: Position the seat so the child can look outside.Open a Window: Stale air, food odors, cigarette smoke, and lack of fresh air exacerbate nausea. Opening a window can ease the discomfort.Avoid Traveling on an Empty Stomach: Hunger worsens nausea. Bring a light snack or biscuit for the child.Avoid Sudden Stops: These worsen nausea. Smooth driving helps mitigate the effects on the brain.In Severe Cases: Use preventive nausea medication or treatments.Take Refreshment Breaks: For long journeys, stop every hour at a rest area, have a drink, and allow the child to rest from the stressful travel.