Samsung dropped a surprise today. The company announced Hearapy, a new mobile app that helps people deal with motion sickness during travel and car rides.
The app has one job. It plays a precise 100 Hz sine wave that stimulates your inner ear’s balance system. Listen for a minute, and you might avoid motion sickness for up to two hours.
How does it work?
Hearapy isn’t magic. Samsung based the app on research from Nagoya University in Japan. The researchers studied which sound frequencies best stimulate the vestibular system – the part of your inner ear that controls balance.
Their study found that listening to a 100 Hz sine wave at 75-85 decibels for several minutes can temporarily improve your balance. Samsung claims just 60 seconds of listening provides up to two hours of relief from motion sickness.
The app works with most headphones, not just Samsung’s own. We tested it and found it functions with various headphone brands, though results may vary between users.
Why does it matter?
Motion sickness affects millions of people during car rides, flights, and boat trips. Current solutions include:
- Prescription medications that can cause drowsiness
- Over-the-counter pills that don’t work for everyone
- Wristbands and other devices with mixed results
A free app that works in 60 seconds could be a simple alternative. You don’t need to plan ahead or deal with side effects.
The context
Samsung announced Hearapy alongside its new Galaxy Buds 4 Pro wireless earbuds. The company specifically mentions these earbuds “deliver clean and powerful 100 Hz sound.” This suggests the app might work best with Samsung’s latest earbuds, though the company hasn’t confirmed this.
The timing isn’t accidental. Samsung wants to show that its new earbuds can do more than just play music or take calls.
You can download Hearapy now from Google Play. The app is free, so there’s little risk in trying it before your next trip.