Think better, feel better, at the blink of an eye - The world's first wearable neuro device for Google Glass
OTTAWA, April 8, 2014 /CNW/ - Personal Neuro Devices Inc. ("PND") (http://personalneuro.com), developer of world-first mobile neuro applications, is levering its expertise with Google Glass to turn Glass into a powerful neuro-imaging device with Introspect, the PND Wearable.
Google Glass is a voice-interactive computer with an optical head-mounted display that knows where you are and what time it is, and has Internet connectivity to keep you informed about what matters to you as you stay fully engaged with your world. It is not, however, a biometric device capable of bio-monitoring or neuro-feedback.
But, consider what an optical head-mounted display capable of neuro-feedback could do:
- Passively monitor brain activity throughout the day and provide this intelligence to a physician to assist with diagnosis and treatment of conditions such as depression.
- Hyper-targeted content delivery in the blink of an eye, screened to match your specific tastes and interests with mood-sensing algorithms.
- Immediate response to elevated stress levels, with visual prompts to take a break and use Transcend, PND's neuro-feedback meditation app to relax.
- Actively and remotely monitor the brain health of mission-critical, emergency response, transportation and front-line personnel in the field.
- Facilitate adherence to long-term medication therapies by providing patients with feedback on the re-emergence of subtle neuropsychological symptoms.
- Remotely and regularly monitor changes in the neuropsychological symptoms of participants in phase ll and lll drug trials.
- Enable easy and mobile neuro-feedback exercises for faster return-to-play and return-to-school after brain injuries, as well as maintenance of healthy brain function for older adults.
This is where Introspect - the PND Wearable comes in.
Personal Neuro has already established itself as a front-runner in the development of consumer applications drawn from the latest neuroscience to help people recover from concussions, better manage their stress levels, and improve their mental clarity and focus. This same expertise is now being applied to the creation of Introspect: the PND wearable environment that includes a head-worn device compatible with Glass, Glassware apps, mobile apps and cloud storage and analysis.
"Engaging with technology that can improve our lives should be seamless, effortless and worry-free," said Tony Gaitatzis, PND's Chief Technology Officer. "This means devices should be passive and responsive, without being intrusive or distracting, so that all you notice are the benefits. The PND wearable environment will allow you to improve your brain, your ability to think and your ability to handle stress, without having to disengage from what you are doing to look at a phone or a tablet."
As consumer interest builds toward the full commercial release of Google Glass later this year, practical, real-world applications for the technology are being found in customer service, security and law enforcement, banking and healthcare, to name a few. But PND is the first company to offer neuro-feedback applications on Glass.
Introspect, the PND wearable environment, now available for early adopter testing and pilot project applications, is designed to fit on the wearer's head with Google Glass, and connect to Glass via Bluetooth. It will also be secure, with encrypted data transmission and storage.
"All of the decisions around sensor design and placement are based on studies done independently as well as in collaboration with a major Canadian university," said Arwen Moore, PND's Director of Biomedical Product Development. "The sensors have been chosen to meet power requirements, and increase ease of use and user comfort."
The power of the cloud
Gaitatzis, who has written the first and only book to date on developing with the Google Glass API, believes the true power of wearable technology isn't the device itself, but in the cloud backend.
It is here where data can be collected, analyzed and fed back to the user. The challenge is to provide this intelligence to the user in a way that is actionable. PND is developing a web-services platform that will provide this cloud backend for the PND wearable environment, and also allow third parties to develop neuro apps from their own neuro data.
"Users of wearable technology are looking for help to solve problems and make decisions," Gaitatzis said. "The ability of wearable tech to tap into big data in the cloud is powerful, but what comes back to the user must be clear and simple enough to be useful, rather than overwhelming. The strength of the PND wearable environment, as it must be with any wearable technology, will reside with the ease of use and utility of its cloud-based applications."
For downloadable images and our explanation video, please visit www.personalneuro.com
About Personal Neuro Devices
Personal Neuro Devices (PND) is a neuroscience company focused on brain-computer interface technologies. Through the collaboration of a dedicated team of neuroscientists, software developers, gamification experts, biomedical-device designers and graphic artists, PND has applied advances in neuro-imaging and psychology to create new and exciting brain-computer interface programs and technologies. Already available on the market are several smartphone apps that have a wide range of stimulating mental health, educational and entertainment purposes. These include UpCake, the original neuro-game for girls; Transcend, a mindfulness and meditation app; and Neuronauts, the world's first neuro-feedback-powered, online multiplayer game.
Personal Neuro Devices Inc., the Personal Neuro Devices logo, Neuronauts, UpCake, Transcend, Introspect and Psych Showdown are trademarks of Personal Neuro Devices Inc. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.
SOURCE: Personal Neuro Devices Inc.
For further information or to arrange an interview, please contact: Leo Valiquette, inmedia Public Relations Inc., [email protected], +1 613 769 9479, @leovaliquette
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