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

Area of Science:

• Aerospace Medicine
• Human Factors Engineering
• Vestibular Science

Background:

• Motion sickness is a common challenge in aviation and other transport modalities.
• Existing remedies often have side effects, necessitating novel solutions.
• Bone conducted vibration (BCV) is a potential non-pharmacological intervention for motion sickness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a novel commercial bone conducted vibration (BCV) device for motion sickness mitigation.
• To assess the efficacy of BCV in a simulated flight environment with provocative motion.
• To determine if BCV impacts performance on a concurrent tracking task.

Main Methods:

• Twelve subjects underwent two 30-minute simulated flights in a motion-based simulator.
• Subjects were exposed to either the BCV device or a placebo condition, with counterbalanced trial order.
• Subjective motion sickness ratings were collected every 2 minutes, and the Motion Sickness Assessment Questionnaire (MSAQ) was administered post-flight.

Main Results:

• No significant difference in overall MSAQ scores between BCV and placebo conditions.
• A significant decrease in motion sickness scores was observed from the first to the second trial session.
• Tracking task performance was not significantly affected by the BCV device.

Conclusions:

• The commercial BCV device did not demonstrate efficacy in reducing motion sickness symptoms.
• Improved motion tolerance in the second session was attributed to sensory adaptation, not the BCV device.
• Further research may be needed to explore BCV parameters or alternative applications for motion sickness.