Wearable technology has been making more and more appearances in the market, and the combination of smaller devices and better sensors are letting people track all sorts of things about their day. Gone are the times of the humble waistband pedometer, now we have watches that can measure everything from our heart rate to our sleep cycles.
One gadget developer is now targeting this form of technology at stress management, and is helping to open people’s eyes to what is causing them stress in their lives, and how to rectify it.
The device, called V1bes, comes in two parts: one index ring sensor and a tabletop hub. Wearing the ring allows it to measure the heart rate of the wearer and it can also measure brainwaves, as well as the ambient electromagnetic fields that can subtly affect your body.
The gathered information is then collated and analysed, and can then be accessed via a phone app, and utilises online storage, so you can track your improvements over time.
Although not FDA approved, V1bes will be able to give you an insight into how your body reacts to daily stresses or relaxing activities. One major example of usage is to see how certain activities affect your stress level. Doing a test before and after a yoga session, for example, will show you how much that activity has calmed you down.
In a similar manner to the way mindfulness has helped to open people up to the concept of looking after their own stress, V1bes will too. People are very comfortable with technology (unfortunately, often more so than with meditation classes), and V1bes wonderfully marries both the concept of self care that comes with wellbeing exercises, like mindfulness meditation, and the technology that we are surrounded with everyday.
The device is not yet available, however. It is planned to begin shipping towards the end of the third quarter of 2015, around September and October. It will be available on iOS and Android devices, so keep an eye out for it when it hits the market.