High tech: Goggles propose cure to air sickness through virtual reality

Travel sickness on planes could soon be a thing of the past thanks to a new invention that effectively gives passengers a sense of balance, even though they are on a moving aircraft. The $460 goggles are set to be unveiled at a technology convention in the U.S. and could one day be part of every aircraft seat. They work by getting wearers to view a virtual horizon and if the plane shifts to one side, so too will the view, effectively tricking the passenger’s eyes and brain.

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.

Leon Codrington, product development manager for the company Flow IFE

Users of the goggles can also view footage of their destination to help them acclimatise ahead of their arrival. It is estimated only 1% of air travellers suffer from motion sickness. The firm behind the goggles are hoping to return from the US convention with fresh financial backing for a product they believe could change the way we fly forever.

Technology Goggles