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Virtual reality headsets could help to tackle air sickness and jet lag during flights, according to a team of British engineers.

A new device, called the Flow VR, provides passengers with a virtual image of the horizon that mimics the movements of the aircraft.

This can help to combat the conflict between the information coming from a person's eyes and their sense of balance in the inner ear, which can lead to travel sickness.

The system, designed by In-flight entertainment company Flow IFE, can also present travellers with high quality images of their destination that replicate the time of day to help them acclimatise to their new time zone. 

Airline Qantas is the first to introduce virtual reality headsets to its passengers (above) to keep them entertained during long flights but the devices could also help combat problems like air sickness and jet lag

Leon Codrington, general manager for product development at in-flight entertainment company Flow IFE, which has created the device, told The Times: 'The worst thing for bringing on motion sickness is a disconnect between what the eyes are seeing and what the body is feeling. 

'If you're sat still, looking at a seat in front that isn't moving, yet you can feel the aircraft weaving all over the skies, that can make you feel ill very quickly.

'What our system does is eliminate that disconnect by showing you a horizon that moves up and down as the aircraft does.'

The company showcased a prototype of its device at the Aircraft International Expo in Hamburg last week.

The device uses accelerometers to detect the movement of the aircraft and displays a horizon that moves with it inside.

The display can also provide passengers with a way of exploring their destination with three dimensional content.

Notifications from the crew can also be displayed on the screen to help keep passengers informed while they can also be used to watch movies or play games.

The headsets are expected to cost between £300 and £500 each. 

Virtual reality headsets, however, are already starting to be introduced as part of in-flight entertainment systems on aircraft.

Qantas became the first airline to offer viritual realilty headsets to first class passengers earlier this year.

For years virtual reality headsets have had their own motion sickness problem as the graphics often failed to keep pace with the users movements.

The graphic above shows how the virtual reality goggles would help to relieve the symptoms of travel sickness

The VR headsets would use accelerometres to detect the movement of the aircraft so it can be displayed on the screen, helping to reduce the mismatch between the eyes and inner ear that can lead to travel sickness

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However, new devices have started to overcome this by using faster graphics and screen refresh rates.

Recent research by Purdue university also found that inserting an image of a virtual human nose into an virtual reality image could also help reduce nauseousness. 

Mr Codrington told Mail Online that their device could distinguish from movements of the wearers head and the aircraft by using motion sensors that are connected to the seat or from a wireless signal from the aircraft.

He said they also hoped to begin talks with a company that makes external cameras to produce a 360 degree live view outside of the aircraft for passengers.