Good news for small business owners: there will soon be a quick fix to stress, lack of focus, and the need for a pot of coffee to get through the day.
The solution is Thync, a startup in Los Gatos, California that has developed a product allowing people to program their state of mind. With it, people can call up focus, calm, and creativity, among others, exactly when they need it.
The magic happens through specifically calibrated levels of electricity targeted at one’s cranial nerves. Consumers place two electrodes on their heads and choose either the “energy vibe” or the “calm vibe”. The intensity can be adjusted on an accompanying iPhone app. The process takes about 12 minutes.
Businessweek writes that Thync is positioning themselves as an alternative to mood-altering drugs, including alcohol and caffeine, which people quickly turn to for relaxation and focus. Thync gives people more control over their bodies, therefore eliminating the need for a cocktail or another cup of coffee. The energy and calm people feel via the device is all their own; it is simply the mind responding to a signal.
One of the biggest limitations people have is the inability to call up emotions when needed. With Thync, that is beginning to change. As their website proclaims, the goal is to “shift your state of mind” so you can “conquer more”.
In clinical trials, 2 out of 3 people regularly say that the energetic and calm vibes evoke a “moderate to strong response” and is more powerful than the placebo effect.
Since the technology as a whole is in the very early stages of research there are still questions that need to be answered. Is long-term use safe? How about use by kids? The company’s co-founder asserts that neuroelectrical stimulation has been tested for decades without apparent harm and that they are working closely with the FDA to ensure compliance.
As of October 8, 2014, the company has raised $13 million dollars from investors. Thync plans to start selling the device in the first half of 2015, and although pricing plans have not been revealed, the founders promise that the device will be affordable for the masses.
The hope is to develop dozens of additional “vibes” alongside of “energy vibe” and “calm vibe”.
As a small business owner, what vibes would you like to see come to market?
