End to nausea: Google has a new feature that will allow you to use your phone even while traveling
Google has launched a new Android feature called Motion Assist, designed to reduce or eliminate motion sickness while using a smartphone in a moving vehicle by synchronizing visual cues with the inner ear.
Broadly speaking, the world is divided into two: those who can use a phone or laptop while traveling and those for whom the mere thought triggers a gag reflex. If you suffer from nausea while trying to read a message or scroll through your feed during a trip, Google has an interesting solution. The company has launched a new feature for Android called Motion Assist, which claims to reduce or even completely eliminate the feeling of nausea while using a smartphone in a moving vehicle.
Solving the disconnect between ear and eyes
The scientific basis behind this development is simple and addresses the sensory disconnect that causes nausea. This phenomenon occurs when there is a "dissonance": eyes are focused on a static screen, but the inner ear, responsible for balance, senses the vehicle turning, braking, or accelerating. To solve this, the feature uses the device's accelerometer and gyroscope to display dynamic dots on the edges of the screen that move in perfect coordination with the vehicle's movement. For example, when the vehicle turns right, the dots move left; when it brakes, they slide forward. This movement re-synchronizes what the eyes see with what the body feels.
Complicated? This GIF will clear it up:
The original feature relied on basic permissions to display over other apps, which created a limitation as the dots could not appear over the system interface. Now, thanks to changes at the Android API level, the dots float smoothly over any element on the screen, including the notification bar, lock screen, or settings menu. Users who have tried the feature report success.
Apple did it first
You can set the feature to activate automatically when the system detects a trip or turn it on manually. Google also allows full customization of the color, shape, and transparency of the dots. As usual, the feature is being rolled out gradually on devices with Android 17, with Pixels being the first to receive it. If you are an iPhone user, it is worth noting that this feature is reminiscent of Motion Cues, which Apple released back in 2024.
