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If you find it difficult to concentrate or stay focused on the present moment, you can now purchase a gadget that will track every time your mind wanders. This idea is the basis for the debut wearable device from the wellness startup Atlas. The device is designed to help people understand how their brains function in various situations, allowing them to optimize their performance when carrying out important tasks, whether at work or in their personal lives.
The Atlas 1.0 is an electroencephalography (EEG) monitor that attaches to the skin behind the ear using an adhesive patch and continuously monitors brain waves throughout the day. In addition, integrated sensors record parameters of electrodermal activity, physical movements, as well as speech activity and intonation patterns (without directly recording words).
The collected data is transmitted to the Atlas AI system, which determines your level of engagement or attention, the level of stress experienced, and the amount of energy expended during any activity – from participating in a work meeting or performing professional duties to spending time with family. By analyzing these statistics through the accompanying mobile app, users, according to Atlas, gain a clear understanding of their periods of high effectiveness and moments of reduced productivity.
“Was I truly engaged during family dinner? Who in my circle helps me feel like myself? Do stressful conditions actually improve my performance? Why do I measure the success of a run in minutes rather than in the level of tension relieved? What do I still manage to do even when I’m completely exhausted?” – these are the very questions Atlas aims to answer using its sensor-packed device and AI capabilities.
Company representatives note that after several months of systematic data collection, you’ll develop a highly accurate database of behavioral patterns, which will allow you to analyze your own performance under various circumstances and identify peak states. This should help recreate conditions that promote better concentration and deeper engagement. Or, as Atlas puts it, it will enable you to “identify patterns, environments, and habits that ensure maximum performance.” Atlas states that its algorithms were trained on the world’s largest dataset of real-world brain activity, comprising over 500,000 records.
That’s an impressive figure, but the true value of the technology can only be assessed after prolonged practical use. In today’s world, where countless screens constantly capture users’ attention and collectively erode their ability to be present in the here and now, this concept seems appealing. However, it remains to be seen how effective raw data will be in combating these powerful distractions.
San Francisco-based Atlas, which has raised $24 million in funding to develop activity-tracking products, announced that the initial cost of the wearable device will be $500. Additionally, users will have to pay $30 per month for a set of new sensors, adhesive stickers, and access to AI services to analyze their data.