#CoronavirusInnovation: This smart band can stop your uncontrollable face-touching
Despite multiple warnings from health experts, many of us end up touching our faces. The urge is often irresistible, and one doesn't realize when their hand has gone up. Now, there is a smart (?) way to fight this urge - a 'smart' wristband that buzzes as and when you touch your face. We need more than a smart device to fight the pandemic, though.
First, let's understand why face-touch is risky
People across the world are being advised to refrain from touching their face, as the habit puts them at the risk of contracting the novel coronavirus disease, COVID-19. Basically, the virus, which primarily transmits from human contact, can get on to your hands from contaminated surfaces and move into your respiratory system through the porous mucous membranes in your mouth/nose/eyes, eventually making you sick.
Slightly Robot's Immutouch helps prevent face-touching
Given how easily people can place their hands on their faces, Slightly Robot, a US-based start-up, modified its Immutouch smart band to work as a face-touch detector. The device initially warned people against trichotillomania, a harmful disorder of pulling hair, but now it buzzes to stop you from touching your face (or even bringing your hand close to it).
How it works?
Once you calibrate the band to detect hand-to-face gestures, its accelerometer starts working with a personalized algorithm to track the position of your hand. It senses hand movement about 10 times per second and starts vibrating (a signal of hazardous action) as soon as you touch your face or come close to touching your eyes, nose, or mouth.
This will eventually change your habit
As the buzzer rings every time you bring your hand to your face, the uncontrollable habit of face-touching might finally be addressed. "By making you aware of each occurrence, you'll stop the habit of passively touching your face," Slightly Robot teams says, noting that the band can be paired with a companion app to check how well you have been controlling the urge.
A single Immutouch unit costs $50
Slightly Robot is selling Immutouch at $50, or about Rs. 3,800, per unit. International shipping is also available but the delivery time may vary depending on the COVID-19 situation in your country. To buy, visit here: https://immutouch.com/.
