The world of wearable technology is evolving at a dizzying pace, and the latest frontier is wearable neurotech – devices that target the brain to treat a range of chronic health conditions. Though ranging from smart watches and rings to glucose monitors we have witnessed personal health gadgets for a decade now. This new category of wearable neurotek though has been done before is expected to have a most profound impact on our mental and physical health.
Wearable neurotech refers to non-invasive medical devices that stimulate the brain through the skin and skull to treat issues like depression, anxiety, insomnia, PTSD, and even obesity and diabetes. Compared to the implanted devices of this type of neurotechnology, wearable neurotechnology does not require external administration by surgeons and can be performed independently at home by the patient themselves. The main entrants of this emerging industry include Flow Neuroscience and Neurovalens.
How Wearable Neurotech Works
The concept of applying electricity to influence brain activity may sound intimidating, but the stimulation used in wearable neurotech devices is very mild and considered safe. As Dr. Camilla Nord of Cambridge University explains, “Brain cells communicate with electrochemicals. We can change brain activity – and thereby someone’s thoughts and mood – by changing the electrical signals.”
Whereas drugs alter brain chemistry, wearable neurotech does so electrically. This means that it is less likely to have side effects and can be easy to embark or stop treatment at any one time. Wearable neurotech may also enable intervention before making a definitive diagnosis – thereby providing better outcomes for patients.
The User Experience
TechCrunch spoke with Alex, a user of Flow’s wearable neurotech device for depression. Flow’s headset applies mild stimulation to the forehead to perform transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). “Just the process of putting the thing on, feeling the little zapper, sitting quietly for half an hour…is very calming,” Alex shared. “My experience was I went from a despondent situation, into a fairly relaxed state, which is unusual for me.”
Unlike their unpleasant previous experience with antidepressants, Alex found Flow’s wearable neurotech provided symptom relief without nasty side effects. After several months of use, Alex was finally able to stop treatment, “feeling slightly better.”
Navigating Regulations & Reimbursement
The path to mainstream adoption of wearable neurotech is complex, involving strict regulatory approvals and cost-effectiveness assessments. WHO in United State of America has in the recent past heightened regulations on electrical neurostimulation devices. Although there are devices associated with anxiety and insomnia that have been cleared by the FDA, there is as yet no approved product for depression.
To reach scale, wearable neurotech makers must also secure reimbursement from healthcare systems – a long process to prove a novel treatment’s value. “To have the really big impact in the long term we need to go B2B,” says Flow’s CEO Erik Rehn. “We’d need to get reimbursement. We’d need to get this as a first line of treatment. And that’s much harder than just having the medical device approved.”
The Future Looks Bright
Despite the challenges, the potential of wearable neurotech to expand and improve mental health treatment is immense. Besides the therapeutic health-focused medical wearables, there is already a new line of “mental fitness and productivity” focused consumer wearables such as Neurable’s EEG headphones for workplace focus.
As the technology advances and the regulatory landscape evolves, we may see wearable neurotech become a common brain health tool, as ubiquitous as meditation apps and smart watches are today. As the world pays more attention to mental health and brain health in particular, the prospects for wearable neurotech are bright.
