It goes without saying that with so many exhibitors we wanted to visit and so little time to cover everything, our trip to Las Vegas for CES last week was stressful at times. Our visit to Thync came at the perfect time, as their new wearable device claims to calm you down (or give you energy) with as little as a 15-minute session.
According to the company, the device works through a process called neurosignaling: tiny, specially-tuned electrical waveforms are transmitted to your brain and alter your neural pathways, eventually gently bringing on a feeling of calmness or a burst of energy. Thync’s co-founder and chief science officer Dr. Jamie Tyler described the effect for some users as similar to how chamomile tea or 5-Hour Energy can affect your mood, meaning it won’t give you superhuman powers.
Our demo began when the device was placed on our heads. We weren’t able to take a photo of the actual device, but it basically consists of two patches connected by a cable. One patch sticks to your temple, and the other attaches to the back of your neck. You control Thync with an iOS app, which allows you to choose the type of session (“calm” or “energy” were our choices) as well as to increase or decrease the intensity of the electric pulses.
During our 15-minute “calm” session, the electric pulses themselves felt like a very mild tingling underneath the patches. It wasn’t painful, but the rep repeatedly explained that the intensity should be dialed back if it ever became uncomfortable or distracting.
But more importantly, did we walk away from Thync’s demo suite in the end feeling like a million bucks? It’s hard to say exactly. We certainly felt more relaxed; however, we had also broken a sweat walking briskly through the hotel to get to the suite, so simply being able to sit on a comfy sofa for 15 minutes and knock back a Diet Coke might have helped significantly.
But the science behind Thync’s technology is certainly there, the company has raised more than $13 million in funding, and we think it’s much more fun to use the device than utilizing breathing and medication techniques, so we’ll acknowledge Thync with cautious optimism. We just would like to try it a few more times when our body isn’t also in need of a slowdown.
More info: Thync website…
