Patent Application
20080078875
A complete understanding of this invention can be gained through reference to the drawings in conjunction with a thorough review of the disclosure herein.
A plane flight can simulate zero gravity by flying a parabolic arc. Typically, as is shown in
Motion sickness is not caused by any one stimuli but can be caused by several. (E.g., visual stimuli, motion, simulations, and etc) By the same token, no one method for reducing motion sickness will work for every person. Motion sickness can be caused by the psychological threat of sickness, by the actual physical conflict created on the sense organs during certain parabolic maneuvers, or by the varied motion created by the plane and flight path. Therefore, a multi-tiered approach, such as that of the present invention is necessary to overcome the very real physical and psychological effects of flying 10 mile arcs several miles above the earth.
The exact multidisciplinary method for consistently reducing motion sickness during parabolic flights was discovered through a refinement of combinations of novel and tried techniques. The elements of the several techniques utilized were:
Initially, and similar to flights taken by NASA and other public and private entities, about 30-40 parabolic arcs were flown per flight. However, it was slowly discovered that approximately 20 parabolic flight maneuvers was the upper limit for passengers not experienced at flying these types of flight maneuvers. However, reducing the amount of parabolic flights reduces the onset of motion sickness up to 35%. A preferred range of total number of parabolic arcs flown is between 15 and 20. In a preferred embodiment, the number of parabolas for ZEROG public flights is limited to 15. (See
Another exemplary ingredient for the preferred method of reducing motion sickness is for a passenger to generally acclimate themselves to zero/micro gravity. This can be done by varying the degree of entry into a parabolic arc to account for varying gravities found on different planetary bodies. (E.g., Mars, the moon, and etc.) Although the technique for performing a simulated weight of a planetary body during parabolic flight is known, its use either singularly or in combination with other novel or known techniques for reducing motion sickness, has not. A preferred technique for reducing motion sickness during parabolic flight is to graduate the level of weightlessness. Using the preferred method of the present invention, this technique comprises entering an arc that simulates a gravity less then the earth but greater than zero gravity, (e.g., Martian) to a gravity less than the Martian, (e.g., lunar) and finally to a zero gravity simulation. It is this technique that, as is shown in
In addition to graduating the types of parabolic arcs traversed by a plane from a heavier to lighter environment, the total number of parabolic arcs flown for any one flight can be segregated into several sets. For example, a first set of arcs can simulate the Martian weight, a second set can simulate lunar weight, and a third set can simulate zero gravity whereby the aggregate number of arc flown totals a preferred number of no more than 20. Of course, any of the several elements for reducing motion sickness can be incorporated into the present invention which can therefore increase the total aggregate number of arcs or sets of arcs flown thereby not limiting the total aggregate number to 20.
A result of flying discrete sets of parabolic flights instead of a constant succession of 20 or more parabolas is a slower adaptation to the motion created by a plane. Alone, and in combination with a reduced number of parabolas and by leveling the flight path as described below, (See,
In addition to limiting the total number of parabolic arcs, graduating the type of arc, and flying the arc in discrete sets, an exemplary embodiment that can be added to the preferred method is to level off the flight after a selected number of parabolic flights flown thereby allowing passengers to recover their balance before entering more parabolic arcs. This method, and in combination with lying supine or during a graduated flight (not shown) has also reduced motion sickness by a significant degree.
Another exemplary embodiment for a multidisciplinary approach to reducing motion sickness is to have passengers change their posture and focusing techniques. Specifically, assuming a supine position can reduce sickness from 27.5% to 5%.
In addition to the disclosed embodiments of the present invention, passengers who follow a prescribed pre-flight meal also experience reduced motion sickness. Preferred meals before flight are meals low in proteins or dairy products.
Another cause of motion sickness that precedes and often outlasts its actual physiological effects are psychological anxieties about experiencing events that can cause motion sickness. See, supra, Yolton, et al., p. 23. To counteract the psychological anxiety that is an “integral part of motion distress” that precedes motion sickness of the type experienced on a parabolic flight, a psychological counteractive such as that of announcing a method for effectively treating motion sickness before passengers begin their flight, can be one of several primary components for a multidisciplinary approach for treating motion sickness.
Pre-flight presentations, where passengers are educated on the reasons for motion sickness and assuring them preparations have been made to ensure that the chances of motion sickness, although not completely eliminated, have been greatly diminished, can go a long way to relieving those anxious about flight. Typical presentations show graphical representations of known “conflict” theory of balance that occurs during motion sickness and how that conflict theory is counteracted by a variety of methods available to each passenger. In this embodiment, passengers are advised of medication, lights meals, limited number of parabolas, an adapted and graduated lead-in to microgravity, and a positive psychological reinforcement statement. Other presentation embodiments can include arrangements of the various methods described in this specification in any number of arrangements. Further, although documented pre-flight presentations are preferred, verbal presentations can also be effective when conducted according to the objects of the present invention.
Using a combination of the above described methods has yielded significant results. The chart of
Individual embodiments and combinations thereof of the several methods have consistently yielded similar results as has the addition of including psychological precursors to flights such as methodology assurances of non-sickness and pre-flight operations to assuage passenger fears.
While the above description contains various preferred, exemplary, and other specific embodiments, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the invention, but as exemplifications of the presently preferred embodiments thereof. Many other ramifications and variations are possible within the teaching of the invention.
Thus the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, and not solely by the examples given.
