We could probably all use a little bit of stress reduction in our lives at the moment, and the new Cove wearable neckband from Feelmore Labs is designed to offer exactly that – through gentle vibrations applied just behind your ears.
The intention of the Cove is to work the mastoid and temporal bones in the skull, which in turn stimulates the posterior insular cortex part of your brain that's responsible for stress modulation. A quick 20-minute session a day, even while you're doing something else, will have tangible benefits – or so Feelmore Labs claims.
The company says its new device is driven by neuroscience, quoting a study showing that 90 percent of participants who used a Cove for 30 days experienced a stress reduction of 41 percent and a sleep quality improvement of nearly 50 percent on average.
We've got no reason to doubt those findings, though details of the research appear hard to come by (we couldn't find them on the web). The company says thousands of volunteers have tested out the Cove, and the scientific advisors involved with the project certainly come with a strong pedigree behind them.
"Cove was created as a simple tool to effortlessly build resilience to stress, better equipping you to deal with it as it arises, while also improving sleep," Feelmore Labs CEO Francois Kress said in a press statement.
"As Cove doesn't require dedicated time or effort, our goal is for users to seamlessly incorporate it into their daily routines, using it as a resource to find a healthy balance between stress and relaxation. Cove helps you put on peace of mind."
Tricking your brain into worrying less and sleeping better with a simple, unobtrusive wearable certainly sounds like a good deal, though the device won't be out until later this year and as yet Feelmore Labs hasn't confirmed a price.
As you would expect, there's a companion app for Android and iOS that helps you keep track of your gentle buzzing routine and the effects that it's having. You have the option of anonymously sharing your data with the company, which Feelmore Labs says will be used to improve the product for its users.
While the product isn't packaged as a complete cure for anxiety or related medical conditions, it may well be of use as part of ongoing treatment for those who seriously struggle with stress and sleep patterns. For everyone else, it may be a helpful mood booster that can be used during the day.
Wearables are increasingly being marketed with a wellness angle, whether they're lab experiments or popular consumer gadgets. While we can't comment on its efficacy without trying it, the Cove neckband looks like it'll be worth keeping an eye on.
Product page: Cove