Analysis: The tipping point for neurofeedback devices?

Neurofeedback has been used since the 1960s, becoming a mainstay in the world of alternative medicine but 50 years on, the method is yet to be accepted by mainstream science. Now, tech companies are bringing the divisive brain training method into the home.

Earlier this year at the 2023 Health Optimisation Summit, a Canadian tech company unveiled a device that it says can optimise the brain and help you control your state of consciousness.

The technology is underpinned by the concept of neurofeedback, a non-invasive method for consciously training and controlling brainwaves. Recordings of brain activity – or electroencephalograms (EEG) – are fed back to users in visual or auditory form.

Its efficacy is disputed by scientists but throughout its history, the alternative therapy has retained a strong group of advocates.

Sens.ai, is led by CEO, Paola Telfer, a tech entrepreneur and electrical engineer whose interest in brain optimisation stems from an injury that led her to a “low point” in her life.