This new solution reduces motion sickness which affects 45% of virtual reality users.
Crédits photos : NBI
Motion sickness—which is virtual reality sickness— is a question often addressed by XR professionals but rarely solved. At Laval Virtual, the company Neural Balance Innovation will present for the first time a new tool that could change everything. StimBox is a wearable device that reduces the discomfort during virtual reality experiences. But its applications could extend beyond the immersive field to include medicine and neurology.
Can you tell us more about your company?
Neural Balance Innovation (NBI) is a French startup created in 2024 to improve immersion in virtual reality (VR) with innovative solutions that reduce motion sickness. This phenomenon, which affects 45% of users, is caused by a sensory conflict between vision and inner ear, which causes nausea, dizziness and fatigue.
Our technology is based on gentle, non-invasive electrical stimulation of the inner ear, in order to synchronize sensory signals with the visual experience in VR. We’ve developed StimBox, a wearable device that minimizes discomfort, improves immersive experience and makes VR accessible to a larger audience.
NBI is supported by structures like GENERATE and Normandie Incubation, and is part of the Deet Tech NEO programme by CCI Paris. In 2025, we’ve finalized our MVP—Minimum Viable Product—and conducted clinical studies to scientifically approve our approach. We aim to transform the VR industry by breaking psychological barriers and opening the path to a more comfortable and complete immersion.
What will you present at Laval Virtual?
At Laval Virtual, NBI will exhibit StimBox for the first time. It will be the first public presentation of our solution before its official launch! On our booth, visitors can discover this new innovative device designed to improve comfort in VR.
We will explain how our technology is able to synchronize sensory signals to minimize VR discomfort. Visitors can talk with our teams about the potential applications in video games, training, healthcare and transportation.
Although we won’t be able to make a demo of the StimBox, you can see it and understand how it works and how it’s going to impact the VR industry.
Can you explain the innovation behind StimBox?
The StimBox uses gentle, non-invasive electrical stimulation of the inner ear to align vestibular signals with the visual environment perceived in VR. This principle is based on vestibular neuroscience research showing that inner ear stimulation can reduce the sensory conflict responsible for nausea and dizziness in VR.
Unlike software solutions trying to limit motion sickness by changing images or display frequencies, the StimBox directly acts on the user’s sensory system and brings a psychological solution to the problem.
StimBox adjusts electrical pulse intensity and frequency in real time according to the movements perceived in the VR environment. Developers can integrate the StimBox directly in their applications thanks to a SDK and a Bluetooth connection, which ensures optimum synchronization between visual and vestibular signals. Unlike pharmacological solutions, GVS is a safe, reversible method that requires no drug treatment.
This innovative approach is opening perspectives not only for consumer VR—gaming, training, simulation—but also for neurological rehabilitation and medical applications associated with vestibular disorders.
How is your solution transforming your business field?
To begin with, our StimBox enables vestibular signals to be aligned with the visual environment, thereby significantly reducing cybermalaise. This paves the way for longer, more comfortable sessions for all users, including many who have previously been limited by these undesirable effects.
In the field of video games and e-sports, VR game developers are constantly seeking to improve immersion without compromising player comfort. Thanks to the StimBox and its integrated SDK, studios will be able to offer a smoother, more realistic experience, preventing players from experiencing discomforts that cause them to end a session prematurely.
In military, medical and industrial training, VR is used to simulate complex environments. However, motion sickness often limits the effectiveness of such training. The StimBox enables professionals to better tolerate VR training, making these sessions more effective and realistic.
Our technology could also be used in the rehabilitation of vestibular disorders and the treatment of patients suffering from motion sickness or post-concussion syndromes. By adapting stimulation to therapeutic protocols, the StimBox paves the way for new applications in neurology and medicine.
Sustainability and the environment are key topics of this century. How do you cope with these concerns in your XR technologies?
Immersive technologies have a key role to play in reducing the ecological footprint, as long as they are designed responsibly. Our StimBox device, which reduces motion sickness in VR, is part of this vision, improving the accessibility and effectiveness of immersive experiences, while limiting environmental impact.
