Integration of nVSM Motion Sickness Mitigating Technology to Improve Mission Readiness

Otolith presents a TRL-6 clinically validated wearable technology that provides immediate and long lasting mitigation of motion sickness called non-invasive Vestibular System Masking (nVSM). This Phase I project will identify at least one military customer that can improve mission readiness in their personnel through a reduction in motion sickness by integrating existing equipment with nVSM technology. A 2009 study by the Naval Aerospace Medical Research Laboratory found that more than half of soldiers got sick while riding in vehicles. Roughly 25 percent of military personnel got sick on “moderate seas” and 70 percent on “rough seas.” In the air, as many as 50 percent of personnel get airsick; even 64 percent of parachutists reported episodes. Motion sickness affects mission readiness by introducing sopite, mental distraction, and active nausea. Typically pharmaceutical interventions don’t improve mission readiness as they introduce additional sopite, foggy headedness, and in some cases hallucinations. Otolith’s nVSM technology has no side-effects and is clinically shown to be as or more effective than other interventions. The nVSM technology consists of a small, modular bone conduction transducer, under 20 grams and about the size of eight stacked quarters, that can be held against the head through integration with helmets, headsets, headphones, and other common military equipment. The transducer produces inaudible, low frequency vibrations that stimulate the vestibular system in a constant and non-informative way. This vestibular ‘white noise’ prevents spatial discordance with the eyes thereby preventing the root cause of motion sickness. The therapeutic benefit is experienced instantaneously, lasts indefinitely (as long as the stimulation occurs), and is side effect free. Currently Otolith is delivering on current Phase II SBIR with the Air Force AETC to integrate nVSM technology into pilot trainee helmets in order to reduce dropout due to motion sickness. The end deliverables for that project include three functional nVSM integrated helmets. The Phase II efforts for this project will consist of similar work namely: customer discovery, identifying which equipment is most suitable for nVSM integration, producing a user requirements document, designing nVSM integrated equipment, prototyping the design, and finally delivering functional prototypes with documentation to the military customer. This project’s work is risk mitigated due to our success with executing on our current Phase II integration project as well as the interest from other military personnel that has been generated. Otolith has raised over $2.4 million from private investors to develop nVSM for the commercial market. Additionally, large companies including Ford, Audi, Jaguar Land Rover, GM, Oculus, and HTC have begun working with Otolith to identify ways to integrate nVSM to prevent motion sickness in their products.