Motion sickness originates from disturbances in the body’s balance system, primarily in the inner ear. “I have studied seasickness for many years in an effort to understand what is happening when a person becomes seasick,” says Hannes Petersen, Ear, Nose and Throat specialist and one of the main organizers of the conference. Hannes has researched the balance system for decades and wrote his doctoral dissertation on the function of the inner ear.

At the conference, guests will have the opportunity to try a special seasickness simulator that replicates the conditions that can cause motion sickness. The aim is to gain a better understanding of what happens in the body when motion sickness occurs. “New technology is very useful, as it can be difficult to take the laboratory out to sea—especially for researchers who are themselves mostly landlubbers,” says Hannes.

Seasickness, however, is not the only form of motion sickness to be discussed. The program also includes visually induced motion sickness, with a focus on virtual reality and/or cybersickness, as well as motion sickness in self-driving cars, to name a few examples.

The conference is held in cooperation with the European Society for Clinical Evaluation of Balance Disorders and takes place from 12–15 August at Hof. It is aimed at both scientists and members of the public with an interest in the subject. Between 60–70 participants are registered for this year’s event.

More information about the conference is available here: Motionsickness – Home