Virtual reality headset banishes travel sickness
Travellers prone to travel sickness whilst on the move have a new solution at hand in the form of a virtual reality headset that can offset the motion of planes by projecting alternative images to the wearer’s eyes and brain.
The £300 headset is still just a proof of concept but if its backer’s dreams are realised the device could be as essential as a cushion and in-flight entertainment on long-haul flights, according to Sky News.
It achieves its feat by displaying a virtual horizon which dynamically alters in tandem with the motion of the plane, providing positional confirmation to the brain and preventing allaying confusion which can lead to motion sickness.
Leon Codrington, product development manager at Flow IFE, said: “By having the aircraft control the movement of the virtual world in the headset, what the body feels and what your eyes tell your brain become the same thing.
“It's when you get a difference in those two that motion sickness is induced. It's a simple technique and one that we think a lot of airlines will want to take a closer look at."
Despite its effectiveness it is expected there will be only a limited market for the device, with just one per cent of air travellers affected.