A smartphone app that alleviates sea sickness may be in development as we speak.

Researchers from Imperial College London have found that a mild electrical current applied to the scalp can dampen responses in an area of the brain that is responsible for processing motion signals. And it’s these mixed signals that cause around three in ten people to hard-to-bear motion sickness symptoms, such as dizziness, severe nausea, cold sweats, and more.

A mild electrical current can prevent the problem that causes the symptoms of motion sickness. The technique, researchers claim, offers a safe and effective intervention that is likely to be available for anyone to buy, in the future.

“We are confident that within five to ten years people will be able to walk into the chemist and buy an anti-seasickness device. It may be something like a tens machine that is used for back pain,” said Dr Qadeer Arshad from the Department of Medicine at Imperial College London, who led the research.

He went on to add that they hope to one day integrate the technology into a mobile phone, which could deliver the small amount of electricity via the headphone jack.

In a small study, volunteers wore electrodes on their heads for about 10 minutes and were asked to sit in a motorized rotating chair which tilts to simulate the motions that tend to make people sick on boats or roller-coasters. Following the treatment, they were less likely to feel nauseous and they recovered more quickly.

The research was published in the journal Neurology.

[Via: FinancialExpress, image from Malcolm Oliver’s Cruise Blog]