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ZDNET·

🚗Android Rolls Out Motion Assist to Reduce Car Sickness

Visual Cues Can Ease Your Nausea on the Go

TL;DR

Android introduces Motion Assist, a feature that uses visual shapes to help reduce motion sickness while in cars. It’s rolling out first on newer Pixel devices.

Google has introduced Motion Assist, a new Android feature designed to combat car-induced nausea by providing visual cues that align with vehicle movement. The feature is particularly useful for users experiencing motion sickness when their inner ear senses movement but the eyes see static screens, leading to confusion and discomfort. For developers and tech enthusiasts, this means an interesting blend of UI design and human-computer interaction principles being applied in a practical setting. Motion Assist uses shapes that respond dynamically to car movements: left turns cause shapes to move left, acceleration causes dots to shift down. The feature is currently rolling out on newer Pixel devices like the Pixel 10 and Pixel 11.

Android Rolls Out Motion Assist to Reduce Car Sickness — ZDNET

Key Points

1

Motion Assist uses shapes and patterns that mimic vehicle movement to alleviate motion sickness.

2

The feature is available first on Pixel 10 and Pixel 11 devices, rolling out gradually across the Android ecosystem.

3

Users can customize opacity, shape, and color of visual cues in their settings for a personalized experience.

4

To activate Motion Assist, go to Settings > Profile picture > All services > Personal & device safety.

5

The feature automatically detects motion or can be placed as a Quick Setting tile for easy access.

Why It Matters

If you're prone to motion sickness while using your phone in the car, Motion Assist could significantly improve your ride experience. It's particularly useful for developers working on UI elements that interact with real-world movement, offering insights into how visual cues can enhance user comfort and engagement.

androidmotion-sicknessvisual-cuespixel-devicesui-design

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does this matter?

If you're prone to motion sickness while using your phone in the car, Motion Assist could significantly improve your ride experience. It's particularly useful for developers working on UI elements that interact with real-world movement, offering insights into how visual cues can enhance user comfort and engagement.

What happened?

Android introduces Motion Assist, a feature that uses visual shapes to help reduce motion sickness while in cars. It’s rolling out first on newer Pixel devices.

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