Neuroscience Startup Launches Transcend, an App That Will Improve Your Meditation

Ottawa-based Personal Neuro Devices, a developer of mobile neuro applications, today launched Transcend, an app that gives  users actual neuro-feedback about the quality of their meditation.

The Android app, combined with NeuroSky’s Bluetooth-enabled MindWave Mobile headset, allows users to track and improve their meditation practices over time by reporting the quality and duration of their meditation sessions, as well as other metrics. Using these metrics, Transcend can tell when a user is successfully achieving meditative states regularly, or whether a user may benefit from an alternative form of meditation. By measuring and recording meditative states, a user can track his or her progress and receive confirmation that their meditation has been effective, the Canadian company says.

Unlike other meditation apps available today, Transcend directly measures neural activity and takes into account the different ways that people meditate. It includes meditation guides for users new to the practice, or more experienced users looking to try a different style. Transcend’s ability to provide personalized feedback and suggest improvements for more effective meditation can benefit users of any experience level.

“This is the first mobile meditation app that gives constructive feedback based on actual neuro-imaging,” said Tony Gaitatzis, CTO and co-founder at Personal Neuro Devices. “Transcend incorporates proprietary brain-activity-analysis algorithms and is based on research studies with individuals who are new to the practice of mediation as well as experienced users.”

“We are very pleased to collaborate with Personal Neuro Devices to bring Transcend to market,” said Stanley Yang, CEO of NeuroSky. “Transcend will significantly extend and enhance the usefulness and benefits of the MindWave Mobile headset to many new users.”