Evaluation of a Bone Conducted Vibration Device Designed for Motion Sickness Mitigation

Historical and modern science has produced many remedies for motion sickness; however, few if any of these remedies have demonstrated successful mitigation without producing negative side effects. The purpose of this study was to determine if a newly created commercial bone conducted vibration (BCV) device could reduce motion sickness symptoms in a simulated visual and provocative motion flight environment.

Subjects (N = 12) passively experienced two 30-min, auto-pilot simulated flights in a motion-based simulator while wearing a BCV device during experimental or placebo conditions. Trial condition presentations were counterbalanced to control potential order effects with a minimum of 1 d between trials. During each trial, subjects completed a tracking task and verbally reported subjective motion sickness ratings every 2 min. After completion of each trial, a Motion Sickness Assessment Questionnaire (MSAQ) was administered.

No significant differences in overall MSAQ scores were observed between experimental (29.3 ± 19.4) and placebo (31.1 ± 17.4) BCV conditions. Significant differences in motion sickness scores were observed between the first (34.0 ± 17.6) and second (26.3 ± 18.4) trial sessions.

The commercial BCV device did not affect the presence or absence of motion sickness during placebo or experimental conditions and had no effect on tracking task performance. During the second trial session, MSAQ scores were lower and time to nausea and failure were longer; however, observed increases in motion tolerance during the second trial sessions likely resulted from sensory adaptation and appeared to be unrelated to the BCV device. Patterson FR, Kaplan A, Gallimore D, Sherwood S, Horning D, Folga RV. Evaluation of a bone conducted vibration device designed for motion sickness mitigation. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2025; 96(11):993-999.