When I first heard about headphones that could read people’s minds, I was skeptical to say the least. Most EEG systems used to monitor brain activity in the lab have 20 or more sensors along the front and top of the headset to measure brain activity, such as alpha waves from the frontal lobe. Equipped with a sensor. But over the past decade, Neurable has honed its brain-computer interface technology, dubbed Neurable AI, so it can now use it to obtain comparable measurements. Powered by established industry standard hardware Bringing neurotechnology from the lab to everyday life, directly from the sensors in the ear cups of common headphones.
The MW75 Neuro is much less bulky and has fewer sensors than typical EEG headsets, but thanks to Neurable’s AI algorithms, it collects almost all the same information.
The Master & Dynamic MW75 Neuro will be the first headphones to implement this technology, bringing new features to the audio space, including cognitive performance measurements, hands-free control of the device, and more. It was technically announced last month in December 2023, so unfortunately it was not eligible for the Best of CES 2024 award, which is given to products announced during the show. However, if it had been released at an event, it would definitely have won an award. I had the opportunity to sit with Neurable and his members of the Master & Dynamic team during the show and wear the MW75 Neuro headset. And I was impressed by its ability to measure concentration in real time.
Neurable AI brings neurotechnology out of the lab and into everyday life.
To activate brainwave measurement, simply place the headphones over your ears. When I focused my attention during tasks like reading an article or repeating numbers in my head, activity began to spike on the screen. Then, when we entered the passive state, the waves on the graph subsided. I wore the headset while playing a side-scrolling shooter on Steam Deck, and the data told me the story. You can track how long I was testing the controls and learning how to play along the mountains, and guess when I learned them through the rest of the valleys in the first level.
My mind became a little clearer. The MW75 headphones also help you not only measure your concentration, but also proactively suggest when to give your brain a break and recharge. Most people tend to rest when they feel tired, but by the time they feel symptoms of fatigue, it’s often too late. In one study, Dr. Ramses Alkaid said that subjects who followed the Neurable app’s rest suggestions experienced a 20% increase in productivity and a 50% increase in their sense of well-being by the end of the day. Acting on data about how our brains are working in ways that we aren’t always subjectively aware of can help us take better care of our mental health.
MW75 headphones help you proactively suggest when to rest and recharge your brain…act on that data…help you manage your mental health.
Additionally, users can learn what affects their concentration and what times of the day they are most focused, so they can plan their day more productively. . Digesting your brainwave data on a daily and weekly basis may also help you develop habits that improve your focus and avoid distractions. Many of us are familiar with wearable health trackers that monitor biometrics. Now, the new frontier is mental health data, and there are two reasons why audio products such as headphones and earphones are gaining attention. One is that everyone is already accustomed to wearing it all day long, and its proximity to the brain makes it easier to collect data.
Apart from these sci-fi-like features and mental health benefits, MW75 Neuro offers numerous practical applications that can be seamlessly integrated into our daily lives. For example, imagine interacting with a virtual assistant. When listening to music, you can streamline your experience by simply focusing and thinking, skipping tracks or adjusting the volume without physically interacting with your device. This hands-free control extends beyond entertainment, offering possibilities in a variety of settings, from navigating during a busy commute to multitasking in a work environment.
Democratizing mental health tracking is Neurable’s ultimate goal.
Of course, deploying technology that can measure mental states requires that sensitive data be handled securely. Neurable ensures that the brainwave data collected by the MW75 Neuro is stored securely. However, it is unclear whether it is on the user’s device or on an external cloud. As a consumer, it is critical that you understand where and how your personal data is stored and used, especially when it comes to sensitive information such as brainwave patterns.
Currently, the Neurable technology is exclusive to Master & Dynamic headphones, but the company is willing to share its brain-tracking technology with competitors, perhaps for a licensing fee. The Neurable team emphasized that the end goal is to democratize mental health tracking, and that means being available at different price points and in different form factors. At a time when anxiety and stress levels are higher than ever, I’m excited about the benefits that brain tracking technology can bring to people. We can’t wait to see our next headphones tap into the brain data we collect in our daily lives.
MW75-Neuro is already available for pre-order. Neurable website. As you can imagine, cutting-edge technology doesn’t come cheap, and the MW75-Neuro starts at $649. Currently only available in the US and Canada, Neurable says it hopes to expand to other countries this year.
