In 2020 we are all being tested as to how much misery, uncertainty, and disruption to our lives we can take without cracking open like a pinata! The new Sensate II is “Designed to Soothe Stress, Build Resilience and Fight Everyday Anxieties” so sounds just the ticket right about now.

The new Sensate II is Designed to Soothe Stress, Build Resilience and Fight Everyday Anxieties so sounds like just the ticket right about now!
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Stress and anxiety are growing exponentially in both the [UK / US], with 45 percent of adults in the latter (53% of women and 37% of men) stating that the pandemic has affected their mental health. Despite an abundance of mindfulness apps, and a rise in the popularity of meditation and yoga, effective relaxation is harder than ever to achieve and not something easily mastered in a short time. Millions of people find it difficult if not impossible to disconnect and manage their emotions, and that’s where Sensate helps.

21st-century stress contributes to serious diseases of inflammation such as heart conditions, obesity, cancer sleep problems, and many preventable mental and physical health issues. The updated Sensate II is a palm-sized, pebble-like device that sits on the chest and syncs with a free mobile app. It was initially created by Stefan Chmelik, a pioneering stress management consultant and physician with 30 years experience, to relieve the effects of PTSD for a range of sufferers, including war veterans.

Audible and Subaudible Tones

Audible tones, those heard by human ears, typically have frequencies that fall within a range of 20 Hz to 20 kHz. However, human beings are able to feel and detect sound waves that occur below these frequencies. Sound waves with frequencies below the audible range noted above are referred to as infrasounds and ultrasounds. At very low frequencies, sensory cells in the cochlea are stimulated by sounds at levels below those that are heard. Infrasounds and ultrasounds can also be transmitted by way of vibrations or pulsations. The bio-potential effects of low-frequency acoustic waves on humans have significant prospective benefits and therapeutic potentials. Research has shown that “clearly specified wave frequencies and amplitudes such that…the application of low–frequency sound waves with precisely controlled parameters (frequency, acoustic pressure level, exposure time)” can contribute to such significant results as “lowered activation level of the autonomic nervous system) or [a notable] change the morphology of the electrocardiograph pattern.” Studies have shown that infrasonic exposure can also produce such beneficial effects as a decrease in blood pressure.

21st-century stress contributes to serious diseases of inflammation such as heart conditions, obesity, cancer sleep problems, and many preventable mental and physical health issues
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Sensate is designed to use low-frequency infrasound to regulate the nervous system and tone the vagus nerve which is responsible for calming the body after periods of stress and anxiety
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Non-invasive stimulation of the vagus nerve is a new and exciting area for research that is making the benefits of Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS) accessible without an invasive procedure. At the forefront of this research is the use of ultrasound and infrasound (sub-audible, rhythmic, pulses) that stimulate a neural and physiological downregulation response (i.e. produce a calming effect). Sensate is designed to use low-frequency infrasound to regulate the nervous system and tone the vagus nerve which is responsible for calming the body after periods of stress and anxiety. It can relax our “fight, flight, freeze” emergency response, bringing our body back into balance.

A combination of meticulously composed sounds synchronized with the near-infrasonic rhythmic pulses of the Sensate wearable are tuned to promote immediate relaxation. Sensate claims it can also deliver health benefits more commonly associated with long-term meditation practices, it’s been shown to improve heart rate variability, a key marker for health, in over 80% of users within in-clinic trials.

Users of 1,000 prototype Sensate devices report:

• Feeling instantly relaxed
• Improved deep sleep (tracked with a sleep tracker)
• Lower resting heart rate and heart palpitations
• Improved blood pressure readings
• Better stress management
• Reduced anxiety and depression levels
• Feeling happier
• A profound calming effect
• Improved focus

Sensate has been shown to improve heart rate variability, a key marker for health, in over 80% of users within in-clinic trials
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A revamp of the Sensate I, the Sensate II offers the same physical and psychological benefits, but now with a sleeker, non-slip design, longer battery life, improved connectivity, and more power to improve use. The size of your palm, the Sensate II “pebble” sits on the user’s chest and produces low-frequency infrasound vibrations that resonate through the chest cavity and bone.

The size of your palm, the Sensate II “pebble” sits on the user’s chest and produces low-frequency infrasound vibrations that resonate through the chest cavity and bone
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This creates the same calming effect produced by a cat purring on your chest. These vibrations regulate the nervous system through toning the vagus nerve, the neural superhighway that connects the brain to the gut and is responsible for calming the body after periods of stress and anxiety.

VibroAcoustic Therapy

Olave Skille patented VibroAcoustic (VA) Therapy in the late 1980’s in Norway as a “means of using the energy of musical sound waves applied directly to the body to produce relaxing physiological as well as psychological effects.” Since its inception, studies have proven that the use of the physical sounds of music can be even more effective than other interactive forms of intervention.

How Sensate Maximizes VibroAcoustic Potential

The positive outcomes of clinical vibroacoustic hardware can be miniaturized through the use of microelectronics. Sensate pairs this technology and convenience by utilizing the body’s natural ability to conduct energy through bone conduction. As such, placing Sensate on your sternum allows your body to carry infrasound and audio tones through resonant frequencies and maximize their relaxing impact on your body. Excitingly, this phenomenon is further optimized through the use of a biometric sensor and feedback loop that personalizes the audible and sub-audible frequencies.

Used in conjunction with Sensate’s specially-composed library of soothing soundtracks (ideally played through headphones), users can reap the benefits of a lifetime’s practice of meditation within ten, twenty, or thirty-minute sessions.

Sensate II will cost £299 but is also now available to pre-order from www.getsensate.com for £199 for a limited period
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“Stress and mental health issues are a 21st-century health crisis, with around 300 million people globally suffering from depression and anxiety.” Stefan Chmelik, founder of BioSelf Technology and creator of Sensate, explains, “Human beings have made their chest vibrate and resonate since the first hominids sat in a circle thumping their chests and howling at the moon. Through song, chant, mantra, prayer, oming, breath, meditation and music, we have found ways to stimulate feelings of wellbeing, harmony, and belonging.”

Used in conjunction with Sensate’s specially-composed library of soothing soundtracks users can reap the benefits of a lifetime’s practice of meditation within ten, twenty, or thirty-minute sessions
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Officially launched on May 4th this year, Sensate is being initially funded through an IndieGoGo campaign where, as of publication, it has reached 941% of its target, proving the demand for a product like this in these uncertain times. Backers have 5 days left to pre-purchase a Sensate through IndieGoGo for a heavily discounted price, however it is available for pre-order from www.getsensate.com for £299 with IndieGoGo orders being fulfilled first.

As soon as we get our hands on one Tech Trends will report back with a detailed review, we could sure use a few moments of calm right now!

Tom Atkinson is Reviews & Dep. Editor at Tech Trends. Follow him on Twitter @techtrends_tech

The post Sensate II – Stay Calm in the Covid Crisis appeared first on Tech Trends.

Welcome to our first reviews post of the new year, and true to form, we pretty much have a gadget for everything. Enjoy!

Zeiss VR ONE Plus Headset

Zeiss is famous for pushing the boundaries of optical excellence and their stills cameras are legendary. They now created a Virtual Reality headset that provides a very comfortable experience (especially for glasses wearers like myself) and great imagery for a reasonable price. The VR ONE Plus is well designed with ventilation ports to prevent fogging and easy access to the headphone jack.

The VR ONE Plus is well designed with ventilation ports to prevent fogging and easy access to the headphone jack
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Any smartphone with a screen size between 4.7” and 5.5” will fit and the expandable handset tray works well and fits nicely into the side of the headset and it all comes apart for cleaning those greasy lenses. I tested it with the budget Honor 7X, a great phone but not the most powerful and the screen is only 1080p but the results were OK. The headset boasts an ”eye-box” that claims to remove the need to make any mechanical lens adjustments during your experience. I am not sure exactly what this is but my screen was certainly in focus during testing, so it worked.

You can use the VR ONE Plus with or without a head strap, but it is a very comfortable and sturdy strap if you do choose to use it. The tinted visor on the front of the headset is enabled for Augmented Reality apps. I couldn’t test this but the visor does leave the camera unobscured so I will chase down a more powerful AR-capable phone and update you. You can choose content from hundreds of different VR apps, games and experiences available through the Google Play Store or Apple App Store. The big names are all supported –  Within, Jaunt VR, NYTVR and Arte360 as well as VR games and even FPV controller apps for radio controlled vehicles.

Overall it’s a sturdy and useful headset, is smartphone brand agnostic and was easy and comfortable to use. The Zeiss VR ONE Plus was also well made and lacks those dangerously sharp, unfinished plastic edges that are the curse of cheaply moulded headsets and have previously opened a capillary or two of this unsuspecting reviewer.

RRP: £69.99

Apricorn Aegis Secure Key 3z – USB 3 Flash Drive

RRP: From £70

Cue CleverBot

It has long been a dream to own a ‘living breathing’ interactive robot that will respond to commands whilst exhibiting a distinct personality of its own and Wonder Workshop believes that it’s latest automated toy ‘CUE’, launching this month, is the next leap towards that goal.

You can engage in chat, control movement, create reactive sensor behaviours or even code creative interactions using block or JavaScript
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Unlike many previous automated robots – which were essentially remote-controlled toys with minimal interactive functions – CUE has a more emotive AI system as well as a choice of 4 playful avatars to customise how your robot interacts with you. Linked to an app you can engage in chat, control movement, create reactive sensor behaviours or even code creative interactions using block or JavaScript programming at a variable skill level depending on age and ability.

The robots display autonomous behaviours and encourage emotional engagement, further enhancing the learning experience. Companion apps are available on iOS, Android, and Kindle

Pitched at 11+ CUE is certainly a little advanced for younger children who will delight in the bot roaming the room learning to avoid obstacles whilst chattering away, but will struggle both with setup and some of the more text-heavy interactions. I test played it with a 4-year-old, a 13-year-old and an 18-year-old and although the 4-year-old happily ran around after it like a puppy, the CUE was definitely more suitable for the early teen bracket. Simple functions such as the ability to record phrases into the Bot and send them off to relay messages will delight younger children (and provide an endless source for mischief) whilst the coding possibilities held the teenager’s attention.

The greatest expectation with any automated toy - especially one that pitches itself as an interactive robot - is how ‘alive’ it feels
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Unlike many previous automated robots CUE has a more emotive AI system as well as a choice of 4 playful avatars
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The greatest expectation with any automated toy – especially one that pitches itself as an interactive robot – is how ‘alive’ it feels as on the whole most toys that make this bold claim tend to disappoint and their limitations grow apparent pretty quickly, especially when they come with a hefty price tag. CUE chat can feel quite scripted, like keywords inevitably trigger pre-programmed answers and the repetitive nature of the toys responses whilst roaming soon reveal the limit of its conversation and personality, but functions such as watching CUE react to sounds, looking down at your hand as you reach towards it and an ability to react to its surroundings (and muddle past obstacles) invest personality into the toy and had my children laughing with it rather than at it.

Despite its prevalence in the world, coding is still considered to be a difficult subject/skill to learn, but everything becomes easier if you can make it fun. Cue and Dot are equal parts learning tool and toy. They have been developed to teach children vital skills, widely prized on the jobs market, without browbeating, allowing them to develop at their own pace. Vikas Gupta, Wonder Workshop CEO and Co-founder

The ability to toggle the avatars are definitely a plus and the ability to learn how to code to control CUE will certainly add additional playability. R2D2 it isn’t – not yet – but in terms of an automated toy that can be used both as a simple plaything and a fun way to get children interested both in tech and coding, the CUE is a big robotic thumbs up.

• 3 Proximity Sensors
• Real-time Bluetooth
• IR Robot Interaction
• 3 Processors & Sensor Fusion
• Dual Motors & Potentiometers
• 3 Microphones & Speaker
• Programmable LED & Buttons
• 2 Powered Wheels & Encoders

RRP: £169.99

Review by Ashley Thorpe, Animator & Filmmaker at Carrion Films and Film & Games Correspondent at Tech Trends. Follow him on Twitter @CarrionScreamin

Aukey Bluetooth In-Ear Headphones

These Aukey Bluetooth Wireless Headphones are currently discounted on Amazon and after testing them out they seem to be a bit of a bargain. They boast three EQ sound settings plus aptX technology ensuring that, when used with compatible devices, you get the very best audio quality over Bluetooth 4.1. They also use CVC 6.0 noise cancellation with the built-in dual mic so your calls should sound clear, so the question is, what don’t they do?

Well, I can vouch that they are a comfortable fit and come with several different size ear buds and ear hooks so even a Klingon jogging on a treadmill could wear them without issues. They are super-lightweight (13g / 0.46oz) despite the built-in rechargeable battery and Aukey claims an extended playtime of 8 hours of music (about 120 songs) or 240 hours of standby time on a single 1.5-hour charge. I have used they on and off for a month and not needed to recharge so far.

Water and sweat proof they are IPX4-certified water-resistant with internal nano-coating to withstand sweat and rain when used outdoors and the earbuds magnetically fasten around your neck when not in use. Like all Aukey products, these headphones are backed by a 24-Month Product Warranty which, when combined with Amazon’s excellent returns procedures is very reassuring indeed.

But, I hear you say, do they sound good? Simply put, yes, they sound as good as any in-ear Bluetooth headphones I have used so far, with a solid and pleasing sound. At the reduced price, they are a bargain!

Specifications:
Technology: BT 4.1, A2DP, AVRCP, HSP, HFP, aptX
Microphone Noise Reduction: 6th generation dual-mic cVc
Charging Time: 1.5 hours
Play Time: Up to 8 hours
Battery Type: Li-Polymer (2 x 60mAh)
Operating Range: Up to 10m / 33ft
Weight: 13g / 0.46oz

Compatibility:
Echo Dot. iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch. Android Phones and Tablets: Samsung, Samsung S8, HTC, LG, Sony, Huawei, Blackberry, One Plus, etc. Windows Phones. Siri Wakeup: If Bluetooth earphone connected with iPhone, please short press both volume buttons + & – while the earphone is in the standby mode, and Siri is activated when a prompt tone is heard.

RRP £23.99 down from £34.99

Tom Atkinson is a Digital Producer & Photographer at R3Digital and Reviews & Dept. Editor at Tech Trends. Follow him on Twitter @R3Digital

Eva II Sex Toy

The Dame Products team behind the original Eva and now the Eva II vibrator have a vision – a brave new world in which women have routinely orgasmic sex just like men through the creation of a small, wearable clitoral stimulator. It’s a noble cause, but how far does their latest offering go in fulfilling it?

Eva II is great for all kinds of play. Use it on your own, or any time you might want your hands free. However you want to enjoy Eva is the right way to use it! Eva II only needs the help of a single finger to stay secure.

Everything about the Eva screams ‘high end’ – through the miracle of wireless charging the device is totally waterproof and easy to clean and the design is all smooth ambiguous curves in muted matt green or pale pink. The vibe itself is powerful for its size and needs to be since the hands-free design allows the device to sit against your sweet spot rather than to press down as you would with a normal vibrator.

The Dame Products team behind the Eva II vibrator have a vision – a brave new world in which women have routinely orgasmic sex
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It does take some practice to comfortably ‘wear’ Eva; its arms are designed to sit snuggly under the labia but it’s quite a squeeze to get them there. After the struggle, it is still easy to dislodge once the actual sex is underway depending on your personal physique and choice of position. It’s also a challenge to adjust the level of vibration since it involves pressing a lubed up button on a piece of smooth plastic.

With flexible wings that tuck under the labia while Eva II sits on top, you can have clitoral stimulation during penetrative sex. Eva II is smaller, lighter, and simple to use – plus, it’s totally waterproof, and comes with a sleek charging base/travel case to boot.

All in all, it’s not really hands-free, but it’s a vast step forward from using a traditional vibrator during sex and its smart presentation and virtuous concept make it the ideal option for those wishing to introduce toys to their partner.

RRP: $135

Review by Naomi Hepworth-Andrews, Digital & IT Consultant, mother, ferret fanatic and tech enthusiast.

The post January 2018 Tech Trends Product Reviews appeared first on Tech Trends.