Samsung has introduced a new app called Hearapy that it says may help reduce motion sickness by delivering a precisely timed 100 Hz tone through its Galaxy Buds4 Pro earbuds.
The launch appears to translate recent academic research into a consumer-facing tool. According to Samsung, users listen to a low-frequency sine tone for 60 seconds before travel, with the sound intended to stimulate the balance system in the inner ear.
The company is positioning the app as a drug-free option for people who experience nausea, dizziness, or discomfort during travel by car, train, or plane.
Research-based concept moves into consumer audio
Samsung’s announcement is tied to findings from researchers at Nagoya University in Japan, who studied whether brief sound exposure could help reduce symptoms associated with motion sickness. In the 2025 study, researchers reported that a 100 Hz pure tone delivered at a specific volume level before motion exposure improved several balance-related and symptom measures in both experimental and real-world settings.
Image credit: Gu, Y. et. al. Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine (2025). DOI: 10.1265/ehpm.24-00247
The study examined outcomes in mice as well as human participants using swings, driving simulators, and vehicle travel. Investigators found that a one-minute exposure to a 100 Hz pure tone at roughly 80 to 85 dBZ before motion exposure was associated with improved posturography results, favorable changes in autonomic nervous system measures, and lower motion sickness questionnaire scores in vehicle testing.
While the findings are promising, the research remains early in the broader context of motion sickness treatment. The study does not establish that the approach will work equally well for every traveler, and real-world benefit may depend on factors such as exact frequency delivery, sound level, timing, listening conditions, and individual susceptibility to motion sickness.
How Samsung says Hearapy works
Samsung says the Hearapy app handles the key settings required by the research protocol, including playback duration and volume guidance. The company describes the app as delivering a clear 100 Hz bass sine tone for 60 seconds before a trip, with a target loudness of about 85 dB.
According to the app listing, the idea is to help the body better manage conflicting sensory input by stimulating the vestibular system in the inner ear. That conflict between what the eyes see and what the balance system senses is widely understood to be a major factor in motion sickness.
Samsung also says the effect may last up to two hours, echoing both its app description and supporting marketing materials. The company notes that the tone should be heard without interference from music or other sounds.
Why Galaxy Buds4 Pro are part of the pitch
Samsung is tying the app closely to the Galaxy Buds4 Pro, arguing that the earbuds are better suited to reproduce the required low-frequency tone accurately and consistently. In its press materials, the company says the Buds4 Pro feature an almost 20% larger effective mid-woofer area than the prior model, along with two-way speakers and active noise cancellation designed to help preserve clarity.
That hardware emphasis is notable because the underlying research depends on fairly specific acoustic conditions.
A consumer app alone may be less meaningful if paired with earbuds or headphones that cannot reproduce low-frequency sound precisely or if surrounding noise masks the tone.
A wider health and hearing-tech question
The launch also reflects a broader trend in consumer electronics and hearing-related technology: using audio devices not only for entertainment and communication, but also for wellness and health-related support. In that sense, Hearapy sits at an interesting intersection of vestibular science, mobile software, and hearables.
Whether it becomes more than a niche travel feature may depend on independent validation, broader compatibility, and real-world user experience. Still, Samsung’s release is one of the clearest recent examples of a large consumer technology company attempting to turn a hearing- and balance-related research finding into a widely available application.
For now, Hearapy appears to offer a simple proposition: a short listening session before travel, no medication, and the possibility of reducing one of the most common and frustrating travel-related complaints.
Source: Samsung
