Science has developed “miraculous” headphones that prevent fatigue and enhance productivity.. How do they work?

Dubai, United Arab Emirates The idea of ​​mind-reading headphones sounds like something straight out of a sci-fi movie, and like a far-fetched invention at the same time. But that's exactly what Boston-based startup Neurable has been working on for the past nine years, and it will go on sale this fall.

The headphones, called the MW75 Neuro, contain the same sensors as a large electroencephalogram (EEG), which is used to measure electrical activity in the brain. AI headphones translate this activity into usable information for the wearer and share it via an app.

An EEG is typically used to diagnose medical conditions such as epilepsy, strokes, or traumatic brain injury. But Neurable's goal is to make an "everyday brain-computer interface" that can help people with fatigue and productivity issues, according to the company's CEO and co-founder, Ramses Al-Kayed.

Al-Kayed said that these smart headphones are like a “Fitbit for your brain” that can track cognitive health and detect early signs of neurodegenerative diseases. It could be the first in a new line of wearable, consumer-friendly brain readers.

Relieve Stress Neurable was founded in 2015, and is the result of Alkaid's work at the Direct Brain Interface Laboratory at the University of Michigan, where he completed his Ph.D. Neurable's sensors pick up different brain waves, and the artificial intelligence interprets the signal patterns, which can indicate whether a person is focusing or not, something Al-Kayed says could be a game-changer in terms of productivity.

The “Neurable” app encourages users to increase their mental strength by collecting “focus points” throughout the day. “If you are in a deep state of concentration, you can gain them in about 50 minutes, but if you are distracted, it will be difficult to gain points,” he explained.

He added that by detecting mental fatigue as it occurs, the headphones can prompt users to take a break, leading to hours of increased productivity without “feeling exhausted at the end of the day.” The headphones are priced at $699, are currently available for pre-order, and will go on sale later this fall (the company declined to reveal sales figures).

Invasive and non-invasive tools Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) have been around for decades, and their invasive form, i.e. chips implanted in the brain, is most commonly talked about. While these brain chips can help people regain mobility after strokes, spinal cord injuries, and other neurological diseases, they come with risks that are often not worth it for patients who do not have chronic paraplegia, said Miguel Nicolelis, professor emeritus of neurobiology at Duke University, who is not part of Neuroable.

Nicolelis, one of the first neuroscientists who began researching brain-computer interfaces 25 years ago, believes that non-invasive versions of them could “reach a large number of people in the future,” especially when it comes to productivity, overcoming distractions, and helping diagnose and manage a range of brain disorders. Data Security Brain-computer interfaces are still largely experimental, and they raise many ethical questions, especially around the topic of data use and security.

Al-Kayed emphasized that managing data ethically is at the "core" of the company. The company is already HIPAA compliant, the standard for protecting sensitive health data, and is working to comply with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the European Union's data protection law.

Like many other companies in this field, Neurable also encrypts the data it collects about users, and Al-Kayed stated that all data is also anonymous. Detecting diseases early The MW75 Neuro headphones are already being used at the Healthspan Digital clinic in Dubai, UAE, which demonstrated this technology earlier this year to assess cognitive health and help clients deal with stress and fatigue.

Besides boosting productivity, Neurable can also report any cognitive impairments, allowing people to seek early help and diagnose neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's or Parkinson's, Al-Kayed said. Nearable plans to license its technology to other companies, and recently raised $13 million in funding to explore other wearable forms of the technology.