CES 2020: Muse’s new meditation headband will help you get more shuteye
Muse has announced a new brain-sensing headband. In addition to helping you with daytime meditation, this is a product that promotes healthy pre-sleep habits.
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CES 2020 is almost upon us and Muse is not waiting around for the slew of press releases that are heading our way. It jumped the queue with today’s announcement of Muse S.
The company its known for its headset-style device that gives you real-time feedback on what’s happening in your brain when you meditate. It passively detects changes in the brain from outside of the head by using seven EEG sensors along a user’s scalp.
The second generation Muse 2 throws a heart rate sensor into the mix, as well as an accelerometer and gyroscope to monitor body movement and breath in addition to your brain. In our review we found the sensors worked well and the app did a very good job in quantifying our progress over time.
While the predecessor devices are oriented exclusively towards enhancing your daytime meditation, Muse S can also be worn when you go to bed. Because of this the thing has a more versatile, softer form factor, designed with breathable material and stretch fabric. The signal quality has also been improved and the band can be worn on a wider variety of head sizes.
In terms of functionally, the most novel aspect of Muse S are meditation experiences that help you fall asleep. The Go-to-Sleep Journeys respond to your brain activity (EEG), heart rate (PPG), body movements and breathing to bring biofeedback soundscapes and soothing voice guidance. Just close your eyes and pick from experiences such as “Enchanted Forest” or “Underwater World.” In the morning you can check your session data to see how well you’ve done.
To use simply adjust the strap until is has a comfortable and secure fit. Center the pod so that its positioned in the middle of your forehead and fasten the clip. The headband is designed so that it’s safe to be worn overnight. Once you have completed your sleep journey, Muse S will automatically switch off.
In a sense, this is a new and improved version of Muse 2. It comes with the same sensors and can be used to enhance your daytime meditation. But on top of this users get access to Go-to-Sleep Journeys, there’s a better design, improved signal quality and longer battery life (10 hours versus 5 hours).
“We wanted to offer our users improved ways to hack their bedtime ritual through responsive guidance, neurofeedback and tangible data,” said Chris Aimone, Muse® Co-Founder and CTO.
“Muse® S was designed with two key things in mind: to bring meditation to even more aspects of your life, and to take the advanced neurotechnology we are known for and compile it all into a versatile and extremely comfortable EEG headband that is optimized for a truly unique relaxation experience.”
The $349.99 Muse S is available now on www.choosemuse.com. This comes with a choice of meditations that do not require a subscription. There’s also the option that provides a much wider content library of more than 300 mediations and a selection of in-depth courses. This costs $12.99 per month or $94.99 per year.
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