Arm patents ultrasound system to combat VR motion sickness

Arm, the semiconductor design company, has been granted a patent for a system designed to minimize motion sickness in head-mounted extended reality (XR) devices. The technology aims to address “cybersickness,” which occurs when there is a sensory mismatch between visual movement and the body’s physical position.

The patented method, titled “Method for minimising motion sickness for head-mountable extended reality,” uses ultrasound to stimulate the user’s vestibular system. The system monitors visual movement within the headset; if the movement exceeds a specific threshold that risks sensory misalignment, processing circuits trigger transducers to provide ultrasound stimulation to the inner ear to help maintain balance and comfort.