The PIP (Personal Input Pod), a device that allows users to view their stress levels on an Android or iOS device has launched on crowdfunding platform, Kickstarter.
Developed by Galvanic, the PIP – Personal Input Pod – is a wireless, hand-held device that uses galvanic skin response to measure an individual’s stress level in real time and communicate it via Bluetooth to an iOS or Android smartphone or tablet.
Among many possible applications, the PIP helps users manage their stress anytime, anywhere. The Galvanic team are raising funds to get the PIP into production, expand their suite of entertainment and lifestyle applications and create a software development kit (SDK) for third party developers.
The device has already sparked academic interest with research scholars at the Interaction Design Lab (IDL) in Cornell University, New York who are working with the device in the development of their MoodLight essentially a light that responds to how you feel.
Mark Matthews from the Interaction Design Lab at Cornell University says: ‚”This type of technology has the potential to positively change how we live. At the Interaction Design Lab, our work focusses on creating technologies that automatically detect emotions and help people change behaviour. We’ve been using the PIP on what we call Moodlight, a light that knows how you feel. Research has shown that cultivating a sense of non-judgemental mindfulness of present experience can produce substantial improvements in wellbeing.‚”
The PIP also featured in GAME, an exhibition at Science Gallery in Ireland, demonstrating how it could help people manage stress through play and potentially add a whole new layer of strategy to the popular lifestyle entertainment of videogames. The PIP was selected to be featured in the upcoming tour of GAME in Moscow this month.
The PIP gauges emotional states by detecting changes in the ability of the skin to conduct electricity. The PIP’s design phase is complete, prototypes have been produced and the device is already receiving phenomenal feedback from trials across the world.
Daragh McDonnell, CTO of Galvanic says: ‚”PIP is a significant leap forward in terms of what can be done to manage stress but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. The PIP undoubtedly has a number of potential usages from day-to-day convenience applications to consumer health benefits to shaking up lifestyle entertainment and gaming. The ubiquitous ownership of smart devices means that so much is possible and we are very excited to get into market and work with other innovators to help us realise PIP’s full potential.‚”
Through Kickstarter, Galvanic aims to raise $100,000 to get the PIP to production before the end of 2013, develop applications and create a software development kit (SDK) for third party developers.
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