![]() It also seemed to be in keeping with other technology that I own: I use a smart scale to record my weight and a smartwatch to measure my heartbeat, so why not a smart headband to track my mental states? As a scholar of religion and science, I was also interested in this strange new hybrid of technology and spirituality. My first thought was that making music with my mind would be extremely cool and fun at parties. ![]() When I first learned about Muse, through a targeted advertisement on Twitter, I wanted one. ![]() This puts Muse at the forefront of the “biofeedback” industry, where smart devices generate real-time data for ongoing self-improvement. According to a 2021 press release, InteraXon has saved over 100 million minutes of users’ meditation data, which amounts to one of the largest brain data collections in the world. If this seems like a mere novelty to you, consider these numbers: Muse has more than 500,000 users globally, and its parent company InteraXon generates an estimated $13.48 million in annual sales, as reported by the business analytics company Dun & Bradstree t. You might hear thunder while getting distracted and then hear calm rain when your mind is clearer. While you meditate with Muse, the device records your brain data and converts it into ambient sounds, using a proprietary algorithm. What sets Muse apart from other wearable devices, like the Apple Watch or Fitbit, is that it doesn’t just measure your health-it also guides your thoughts, in real-time, using “soundscapes” of music and nature noises that are supposed to represent your mental state. Muse sends this data to a smartphone app that can play guided meditation sessions, track sleep, and award motivational points. This thing was going to turn my brain waves into music.Ĭreated by the Toronto-based company InteraXon, the Muse S is advertised as a “comfy brain sensing headband that helps you understand and track how well you focus, sleep, and recharge so you can refocus during the day and recover each night.” The soft headband is fitted with four electroencephalography (EEG) sensors that measure electrical activity on your scalp. Inside was the Muse S, a consumer-grade brain measurement device that creates immersive meditation soundscapes based on the user’s mental activity. “If I’m ever going to have a spiritual unboxing experience, this will be it,” I joked to my wife last summer, gripping the pull tab of a white package that had arrived on our porch. The research was funded by a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Engage grant and was published online in the eNeuro journal.This essay was produced in collaboration with the Ministry of Ideas podcast for their “ Illuminations ” series. We’re merging big data and neuroscience.” “The ability to be able test this many people at once, I think, is the future of where science is going. That’s a lifetime’s work in a normal EEG lab,” said Allison Sekuler, co-author on the study and a McMaster University professor of psychology, neuroscience and behavior. Using Muse, we had a chance to test 6,000 people in multiple sessions. “On a good day, you could run one session of one experiment on maybe three people in the lab. A typical EEG test will take anywhere from 60 minutes to 3 hours, depending on if you have to sleep for the test. It is one of the main tests for epilepsy and is used to diagnose other brain disorders, according to the Mayo Clinic. When brain cells communicate, they emit electrical impulses that show up as wavy lines on EEG tests. This has given scientists an idea of what is going on with the minds of thousands of people who use this headband.Īn EEG test detects the electrical activity in the brain using electrodes attached to the scalp. The manufacturer of the headband allows qualified researchers to access the database from the electroencephalographic (EEG) data. This information can also be shared anonymously and securely for research purposes. Muse transmits that real-time information to users’ tablets or smartphones to help them train their brains to reach a state of mindfulness and focus. The InteraXon-developed device has four electrodes that register and transmit the strength and amplitude of brain waves that can show if thinking is scattered or focused. It has scientifically been able to reduce anxiety, stress and depression while improving focus, performance and quality of life. It guides the user through meditation by changing the sounds it gives off, based on the users’ brain waves. Muse is a wearable device that helps users meditate. The valuable data that the headband creates and collects is shedding new light for neuroscience researchers on what happens to our brains as we age. A wireless brain-sensing headband is benefiting more than just the consumer.
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