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Our start-up is essentially the anti-thesis of this. We've had bathroom scales for over a century, yet as a society, we are more obese than ever. More data is

Our start-up is essentially the anti-thesis of this. We've had bathroom scales for over a century, yet as a society, we are more obese than ever. More data isn't the answer, and all this talk about "insights" is just re-packaging of that data. Next generation wearables go beyond harvesting data and showing pretty graphs. They directly affect our biology, physiology, and neurophysiology in real-time to improve our health. That's why we call them Affectables. Wearables that affect. We're beginning by focusing on enhancing the restorative function of sleep. Not more sleep, not falling asleep faster, but the directly affecting the neurological processes that define the health benefits of sleep. If you're curious to find out more, check out https://affectablesleep.com https://affectablesleep.com

siddarthd2919 1y ago
Correlation != Causation. The obesity issue has many factors (Quality of food; sedentary lifestyle changes overtime etc), the access to weighing scales actually helped with reality checks for most people.
- pedalpete 1y ago
  I'm in no way suggesting that scales MADE us overweight. Is that what you're correlation != causation comment is meant to say? I think you're making the point for me. The "reality checks" haven't helped people to improve their health. Data != Action.
  - malshe 1y ago
    But you need a counterfactual to that claim, isn't it? If people did not use weighing scales then maybe they would be even more unhealthy.
    - pedalpete 1y ago
      No. If we needed a counterfactual claim for everything, you could also claim that maybe scales made people fat, because we weren't fat before we had scales.... And I'm sure some will take that argument. I'm not running a debate club.
RyanOD 1y ago
Where do I find any of the papers associated with these devices? Have you created a page for interested parties to dig into the research behind these devices?
- pedalpete 1y ago
  The research is linked directly on our website https://www.affectablesleep.com/how-it-works https://www.affectablesleep.com/how-it-works Bottom of the page. There are about 70 papers listed there, so if there is a specific area of research you're interested in, I can help direct you to the right papers.
  - RyanOD 1y ago
    Thanks, I'll take a look. I know someone who really struggles with insomnia. Generally speaking they wake up every night for an hour or two of tossing and turning. Based on your website, it sounds like this device aims to improve existing sleep, not deal with insomnia. Is that accurate?
    - pedalpete 1y ago
      That's right. We're not an insomnia device. I am a lifelong chronic insomniac myself, and started down this path trying to solve my own problem. Sadly, insomnia is still an unsolved issue.
taway1874 1y ago
"We've had bathroom scales for over a century, yet as a society, we are more obese than ever." Exactly! Couple decades ago they blamed human stupidity on lack of information. Look at us now with all the data available at our fingertips. We are so well informed that we should be better humans but we aren't. Coming back to the Apple Watch (and alternatives) perhaps what we need along with all these "insights" are a shock collar (yes, like the one for a dog) that serves as a motivation to get off one's ass and get in to better shape. I'll bet that'll sell like hotcakes /s
dyauspitr 1y ago
Going to have to see some serious citations to take this out of magnetic wrist strap territory. Can you provide a citation that playing a sound during a particular phase of sleep actually does something?
- pedalpete 1y ago
  Over 50 published peer-reviewed studies and a decade of research. https://www.affectablesleep.com/how-it-works https://www.affectablesleep.com/how-it-works Bottom of the page. Don't think of it as "sound", this isn't "gentle tones to help you sleep", and it isn't played during a particular "phase" of sleep. It is specifically targeting individual slow-waves. Think of it more like applying an electrical stimulation to a muscle while lifting weights, not just pumping heavy music into the gym. Closed-loop neurostimulation, not neuromodulation. However, you are 100% correct that overcoming the snake-oil factor is a significant challenge for us.

siddarthd2919 1y ago

Correlation != Causation. The obesity issue has many factors (Quality of food; sedentary lifestyle changes overtime etc), the access to weighing scales actually helped with reality checks for most people.

pedalpete 1y ago
I'm in no way suggesting that scales MADE us overweight. Is that what you're correlation != causation comment is meant to say? I think you're making the point for me. The "reality checks" haven't helped people to improve their health. Data != Action.
- malshe 1y ago
  But you need a counterfactual to that claim, isn't it? If people did not use weighing scales then maybe they would be even more unhealthy.
  - pedalpete 1y ago
    No. If we needed a counterfactual claim for everything, you could also claim that maybe scales made people fat, because we weren't fat before we had scales.... And I'm sure some will take that argument. I'm not running a debate club.

RyanOD 1y ago

Where do I find any of the papers associated with these devices? Have you created a page for interested parties to dig into the research behind these devices?

pedalpete 1y ago
The research is linked directly on our website https://www.affectablesleep.com/how-it-works https://www.affectablesleep.com/how-it-works Bottom of the page. There are about 70 papers listed there, so if there is a specific area of research you're interested in, I can help direct you to the right papers.
- RyanOD 1y ago
  Thanks, I'll take a look. I know someone who really struggles with insomnia. Generally speaking they wake up every night for an hour or two of tossing and turning. Based on your website, it sounds like this device aims to improve existing sleep, not deal with insomnia. Is that accurate?
  - pedalpete 1y ago
    That's right. We're not an insomnia device. I am a lifelong chronic insomniac myself, and started down this path trying to solve my own problem. Sadly, insomnia is still an unsolved issue.

taway1874 1y ago

"We've had bathroom scales for over a century, yet as a society, we are more obese than ever." Exactly! Couple decades ago they blamed human stupidity on lack of information. Look at us now with all the data available at our fingertips. We are so well informed that we should be better humans but we aren't. Coming back to the Apple Watch (and alternatives) perhaps what we need along with all these "insights" are a shock collar (yes, like the one for a dog) that serves as a motivation to get off one's ass and get in to better shape. I'll bet that'll sell like hotcakes /s

dyauspitr 1y ago

Going to have to see some serious citations to take this out of magnetic wrist strap territory. Can you provide a citation that playing a sound during a particular phase of sleep actually does something?

pedalpete 1y ago
Over 50 published peer-reviewed studies and a decade of research. https://www.affectablesleep.com/how-it-works https://www.affectablesleep.com/how-it-works Bottom of the page. Don't think of it as "sound", this isn't "gentle tones to help you sleep", and it isn't played during a particular "phase" of sleep. It is specifically targeting individual slow-waves. Think of it more like applying an electrical stimulation to a muscle while lifting weights, not just pumping heavy music into the gym. Closed-loop neurostimulation, not neuromodulation. However, you are 100% correct that overcoming the snake-oil factor is a significant challenge for us.