4

Interaxon claim that their "brain-sensing headband", Muse, together with an iOS or Android app, can provide a user with some feedback that can be used to train the brain to become more calm and less stressed.

A brain fitness tool that helps you do more with your mind, and more with your life, by helping you learn to manage stress, stay calm, and stay focused.

Improve your physical, emotional, and cognitive health. See and feel improvements in your mental state in areas such as focus, composure, productivity, motivation, and emotional intelligence.

Can such a "brain-sensing" consumer product be used to manage stress and be thus beneficial for an individual's health?

Community
  • 1
davitenio
  • 141
  • 2
  • Hmmm... I see this as a tricky one. In my head, it breaks down as: Can Electroencephalography (EEG) feedback make meditation more effective? Does this device do a sufficient task of EEG? Even if both of those are false, does selling a placebo encourage gadget-loving stressed people to give meditation a try? [This isn't the only possible way to tackle it, and it assumes meditation is effective, that would need referencing too.] – Oddthinking Aug 23 '14 at 09:13
  • @Oddthinking - ISTR that efficacy of meditation was covered on Skeptics before. – user5341 Aug 24 '14 at 23:25
  • 1
    @Oddthinking Maybe the question should be rephrased to ask whether such a headband is better than a placebo. Anyway, [this article](http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/brain-myths/201302/read-paying-100s-neurofeedback-therapy-0) is somewhat relevant. It points to a few references that show that, at least for ADHD treatment, real neurofeedback is no better than placebo neurofeedback. – davitenio Sep 02 '14 at 07:15

0 Answers0