My brain has been called many things over the years -- from a "gold mine," to a "minefield," to, most recently, a "hamster wheel."
That was the term assigned to it atCES 2019, a major annual consumer electronics events, after I received a brain scan while sampling a product called TouchPoints.
TouchPoints are small wearable devices that release micro-vibrations that, when worn by users, can trigger a nervous system response that has shown, in some cases, to lower stress levels. That's where the brain scan comes in -- at CES, the team behind TouchPoints used it to show what a user's brain activity looked like before and after using the devices.
但是，它到底是如何工作的 - 它对更广泛的压力概念以及与技术相交的位置有何评论？
这是我进行自己的大脑扫描以及我对这个问题的了解时发生的事情。
Wearable, Connected Wellness
TouchPoints fall under the category ofwearables: a type of technology that seeks to shrink down intelligent electronic devices -- e.g., smart watches -- to an accessory or item of clothing that can be worn by its users. In 2019, wearables are predicted to see a销售增长9％, leading them to draw high levels of attention among consumers and industry analysts alike.
接触点背后的特定可穿戴技术是它们发出的振动 - 正式称为双边交替刺激触觉或爆炸。
According toresearchconducted by Dr. Amy Serin -- a neuropsychologist and the founder of the Serin Centers for psychology, who helped administer the brain scans -- exposure to BLAST vibration has correlated with changes in brain activity that indicate a deescalated stress response. These include modifications to the user's overall calmness, as well as physical symptoms that often result from stress, like stomach pain or muscle tension.
大脑扫描
What the Scan Measures
那么，大脑扫描如何衡量可穿戴设备（如接触点）的有效性？
Well, the scan -- formally known in this case as a quantitative electroencephalogram -- is used to measure beta activity in the brain. When such brain activity is elevated, Dr. Serin explains, it can be an indicator of stress.
Serin博士说：“过多的Beta活动与焦虑和强迫性思维有关。”而且，如果扫描显示出β活动的减少，则“与更清晰的思维和镇定关注相关”。
作为一个self-admitted中,我不确定法律原则t how effective a wearable device would really be in addressing what is, for me, a typical baseline of high stress. If daily meditation and mindful breathing practices weren't enough, how could wearables -- which have faced a degree争议-- so easily fix the problem?
But when a neuropsychologist invites you to try a product that could potentially lower your anxiety in 30 seconds -- and pair it with a personal brain scan -- you say, "Yes."
结果
遵循45分钟的过程，该过程适合脑浪阅读帽，被要求考虑一些压力很大，然后安装了接触点（请参阅本文末尾的视频），我的结果就在和显示在大屏幕上。
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"That's your hamster wheel," said Dominic Di Loreto MA, BCN Director of Applied Neuroscience at the Serin Center, pointing to the image on the left: the "before TouchPoints" image of my brain activity.
The image on the right, meanwhile, displays my brain activity after wearing the TouchPoints for a few minutes.
I stood, dumbfounded, starting at my scan results. "That's incredible," I said, after muttering some disbelief-inspired expletives.
What The Results Mean
As for my own scan results, "The image on the left shows the excess beta activity in your brain before TouchPoints. Excess beta activity is associated with anxiety and obsessive thinking," she explains. "During TouchPoints use, your beta activity lowered significantly as shown on the right. This is associated with clearer thinking and calm focus."
It's an intriguing intersection -- that a phenomenon that's been shown to increasestress levels（技术）实际上以比以往任何时候都更高的速度建造，以应对这些症状，并改善整体心理和身体健康。可以说，整个概念都从mobile appsdesigned for mindfulness. Now, the technology can be worn by the user directly.
我有机会与金丝雀博士之前,大调的ing, and after the brain scan process -- and about what devices like wearables say about the current state of stress in the modern era.
Data collected by Dr. Serin and her team, for instance, "show that it is unfortunately very common for people to be in stressful states way too often. But using TouchPoints can bring a profound sense of calm without the user having to shift what they are doing."
Stress is on the rise globally. Our bodies are not meant to live with artificial light, screen time instead of real interaction, chronic sleep problems, et cetera. The result is more excess stress. And worse, the common 'stress management' techniques add more to your day or are inefficient.
- Dr. Amy Serin, Neuropsychology and TouchPoint Solution Co-founder
Dr. Serin pointed to the convenience factor of a wearable device like TouchPoints: something that can be easily put on by the user and reduces stress without taking a significant "break" in the day.
"That's what people need now more than ever," she says. "Instant stress relief without adding another 'to-do' to an already packed schedule."
But others in the field of psychology have questions about the idea of a quick fix -- and understandably so. While my own scan showed evidence of decreased activity associated with stress, it was done so with the guidance of professionals who reminded me to unclench my jaw and try to relax once I had the TouchPoints on.
"I think it’s great that we are using our powers of technology to improve ways to treat mental health issues," says Dr. Laurie Paul, a psychologist in the Washington, DC area. "My main concern, though, is when the general public interprets things like this [e.g, brain scan results], they may misinterpret it because they haven’t had the proper training that a neuropsychology professional would have."
And while these concerns are valid, it doesn't completely negate the positive benefits of wearable devices like TouchPoints. It's possible that one might experience the best results with the guidance of an expert, or perhaps in tandem with other stress-reducing activities, like meditation or a mindfulness practice.
The bottom line: To see founders and experts within the tech industry develop devices to encourage wellness is an overall positive development, and one that my hamster-wheel-brain and I find encouraging. While the category of wearables is still in a fairly early stage, the emergence of products like TouchPoints from it is a positive sign that, as it evolves, solutions can continue to become more accurate and personalized.
但是，事不宜迟 - 这是一个更仔细的观察接触点的体验。
