Device for mitigating motion sickness and other responses to inconsistent sensory information

Abstract

Embodiments disclosed herein mitigate motion sickness by disrupting, controlling, or influencing anatomy of the vestibular system. An embodiment may induce vibrations in the vestibular system, including otoliths and/or semicircular canals of the inner ear, causing noisy or unreliable sensory information to be sent to the brain from the vestibular system. Due to the noisy or unreliable quality, the brain, as part of a normal physiological response, may rely less on sensory information from the vestibular system and rely more on other sources, thereby mitigating the motion sickness response, vertigo, vestibular migraines, and other physiological responses to inconsistent sensory information. Vibrations in the vestibular system may be induced by an agitator placed on an individual's head near the vestibular system, or by a transducer placed near the eardrum or directly on an individual's head. Some embodiments may optionally include implantable components in addition to extracorporeal components.