Remember: Meditating requires having no equipment whatsoever (besides a mind and a body). Still, we’d hardly be human beings in 2021 if we weren’t developing a plethora of ever-more-sophisticated products aimed at deconstructing, accelerating, or super-charging even our contemplative practices. Are these latest elite mind-hacking technologies ingenious, or indulgent? You decide.
Put A Ring On It
A smart ring developed by startup Dhyana tracks heart rate variability, revealing how long the wearer spends in a state of focus while meditating. Dhyana partnered with the Indian Olympic Association to provide rings for the entire Indian Olympic team, making it the first meditation device officially used for the Games.
Fancy Hat That Reads Your Mind
Helmets made by Kernel, a (you guessed it) tech startup, give a front-row seat to the action inside the wearer’s brain. Tiny electrodes sense when neurons fire, and use that information to evaluate attention, problem-solving, emotional states, brain performance, learning, and information flow. Bring your wallet. They ring in at $50,000.
Lie Detector
Seeking “to reconnect the world to their hearts and intuitive wisdom,” the Sensie app feeds you statements like “I can change my life for the better.” Then, shake your phone in your hand, and Sensie uses sensors to detect muscle tension, indicating stress or mental conflict with the statement. Sensie then serves “auto-mated personalized coaching procedures.” Yay?
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