Beating Motion Sickness with a Phone in Motion: The Lowdown on iOS and Android
Applications for smartphones in vehicles: Apps to reduce car sickness symptoms
Ever felt sick as a dog while gazing at your mobile during a ride? Sick of it? Well, buckle up, buttercup! We've got some tasty tips, cool hacks, and swanky features to help you score major points against motion sickness.
Riding the Waves on iOS
Grab your iPhone and upgrade to iOS 18. Why? Because you can unlock the "Vehicle Motion Tips" feature, hidden in plain sight within the Settings > Accessibility > Motion menu. Enable it, and poof! Some magical animated dots will pop up on screen, moving like the motion of your vehicle. They'll help your peepers and body align, keeping nausea at bay.
Android's Motion Sickness Marathon
Sadly, every Android poppet doesn't have access to a built-in feature like iOS's Vehicle Motion Cues (it's called "Motion Cues," Android folks). However, fear not! Currently, the latest Pixel phones have this gem stashed away in their settings, while other Android devices will receive it after the Android 15 or 16 updates.
Until then, you can try some Android apps like "KineStop" or "Vehicle Motion Cues" on the Play Store to keep your motions in check.
Top-notch Tips for Overcoming Nausea
Whether you're on an iPhone or an Android, there are a couple of effective strategies to reduce motion sickness that apply to all mobile users:
- Focus, focus, focus! Stare out the window at the horizon or the road ahead. If you're feeling squiffy, look away from your phone.
- Sit up front, if you can (massive vehicular permissions not required). Back seats can be more topsy-turvy than the front.
- Rest your eyes and hit the refresh button. Taking regular breaks from staring at a screen can help stave off seasickness.
Techy Tidbits: Future Vehicle Motion Fixes
Got your Star Trek on? U-Michigan's researchers are working on PREACT tech, which uses seat cues to prepare you for upcoming vehicle movements. Their goal? To beam up an end to motion sickness in the far future.
Between these smart strategies, fun features, and top-secret future technology, you can make a smooth sailing success of beating motion sickness in even the bumpiest vehicles!
Stay in the know! Sign up for our free 95.5 Newsletter to get all the juicy highlights, from hot concerts to lavish giveaways to intimate insights into the fabulous Larissa Lannert. Plus, who knows what other delicious nuggets of news we might have in store for you!
Subscribe to the Newsletter Now!
- At the moment, Android users can try apps like "KineStop" or "Vehicle Motion Cues" on Google Play Store as a workaround, while they wait for the built-in "Motion Cues" feature to become available on their devices with the Android 15 or 16 updates.
- In the future, PREACT technology being developed by researchers at U-Michigan might revolutionize vehicle motion experience, using seat cues to prepare passengers for upcoming movements, eventually aiming to eliminate motion sickness altogether.
