Coronavirus has spread worldwide and without any vaccines, prevention is better than cure for the deadly COVID-19. One way to prevent the virus from infecting us is by resisting the urge to touch our faces. A startup called Slightly Robot has developed a wristband to help us with just that. Dubbed as the Immutouch, the new wristband buzzes when we touch our face.
Immutouch works like an alarm sensor and vibrates every time we touch our faces. It’s enabled with an accelerometer that senses the hand movement 10 times per second. Once setup, the Immutouch buzzes when you touch or come close to touching your eyes, nose, or mouth. There’s also an app that helps users track their progress.
A report by TechCrunch notes that Immutouch is trying to bring in a change in response among users. It works as a Pavlovian response where users resist the urge to touch their faces by the buzzing sensation from the wristband. Your brain internalizes the negative feedback of the vibration, training you with aversive conditioning to ignore the desire to scratch yourself, the report notes. “A problem the size of COVID-19 requires everyone to do their part, large or small,” says Slightly Robot co-founder Matthew Toles. “The three of us happened to be uniquely well equipped to tackle this one task and felt it was our duty to at least try.”
The Immutouch wristband is available now and is ready for immediate shipping. The smart wristband is available for $50, approximately Rs. 3,700. The startup suggests users wear it on the dominant hand you are more likely to touch your face with. Or, you could also buy one for each arm to maximize the effect.