Melon - The Headband That Measures Your Focus

Posted: May 29, 2013

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Melon says, "Imagine if you could see and understand the invisible activity of your brain." Hmmm. Given that the brain activity of which I am conscious would probably get me ejected from many public places and kicked in the ol' yam bag by most women, I'm not so sure I want to know what's under the surface. Plus, my focus is immaculate, just like everything else about me. But I would definitely buy one of these Melon concentration trainers for all the spazzes I know who can't sit still for more than 2 minutes, or complete one thought without starting another, or generally behave like a functional adult rather than Animal from the Muppets.

The headband portion of the Melon focus tracking and improvement duo fits around a user's, well, melon, while its mobile app half detects and interprets the electrical activity generated by firing neurons in the brain (aka brainwaves) via 3 electrodes the band presses against the forehead region. Based on EEG reports from the headband, the Melon app's algorithms assess focus and provide readouts on current states and changes over time, as well as give feedback on how to improve.

The Melon app also incorporates user input, such as tags denoting where you are and what you're doing while wearing the headband, to further tailor its personal focus evaluation, plus the advice and tools for modifications it will give to those eager to get better. Learn what helps, hinders, has any impact whatsoever on your ability to stay present and concentrate. Factors may include music, the presence of other people, and in particular naked other people, the aesthetics of setting, certain smells, heightened emotions--choose from dozens of tags Melon supplies to help the software determine an individual's ideal time, place, and mindset for peak focus.

The Melon headband was designed to be worn anywhere, and given the Quantified Self it claims to generate, the thin ring of plastic looks almost inconspicuous enough to do just that...though it would look way more inconspicuous if this were 1987 and we were all partaking in a Jane Fonda workout video....

Read more about Melon and its technological and scientific specifics, including developer and hacking capabilities, on the product's Kickstarter campaign page. To get first dibs on your very own Melon, back the crowd funding project by June 13, 2013.

December 2013 Update: While Melon achieved its Kickstarter funding goal, the company is still working to produce and distribute them to crowdfunding backers. You can follow the progress and check for updates on the Melon website--follow the link below.

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