New Wearable Tech Uses AI to Improve Concentration - 1

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New Wearable Tech Uses AI to Improve Concentration

  • Written by Kiara Fabbri Former Tech News Writer
  • Fact-Checked by Sarah Frazier Former Content Manager

A new AI-powered brain stimulation system helps people improve concentration from home, adapting to individual traits without requiring expensive clinical equipment.

In a rush? Here are the quick facts:

  • AI-powered device boosts attention using gentle electrical stimulation at home.
  • System adapts intensity based on head size and baseline focus.
  • Users with low initial focus showed greatest improvement.

A team of researchers from the University of Surrey and the University of Oxford has collaborated with Cognitive Neurotechnology to create a brain stimulation system powered by AI that effectively boosts attention from the comfort of one’s home.

This innovative system merges AI with an invasive technique known as transcranial random noise stimulation (tRNS), providing a customized approach to enhancing cognitive focus without needing expensive medical equipment like MRI scans.

The AI system adapts to each user by adjusting stimulation intensity based on traits like head size and baseline attention.

“Our modern world constantly competes for our attention. What is exciting about this work is that we have shown it is possible to safely and effectively enhance cognitive performance using a personalised system that people can use independently at home,” said Professor Roi Cohen Kadosh, Head of Psychology at the University of Surrey and lead author of the study, in an interview with Neuroscience News .

“This opens new possibilities for improving sustained attention, learning, and other cognitive abilities in a way that is accessible, adaptive, and scalable.”

Published in npj Digital Medicin e, the study used CE-marked wearable headgear and a tablet-based task in 290 home-based sessions with 103 participants. A follow-up double-blind study with 37 new participants showed that those receiving personalised stimulation performed significantly better, especially those with low initial attention.

The AI also avoided over-stimulation, which can impair performance, and no serious side effects were reported.

Researchers explained that sustained attention is crucial for activities such as driving or studying. They explain in their paper that it is associated with conditions like ADHD and depression. The conventional techniques of brain stimulation often fall short due to their nature.

However, this new approach, utilizing an AI algorithm that evolves with time, offers hope for cognitive improvement in real-life scenarios.

Jack Dorsey Launches Decentralized Bluetooth Messaging App Bitchat - 2

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Jack Dorsey Launches Decentralized Bluetooth Messaging App Bitchat

  • Written by Andrea Miliani Former Tech News Expert
  • Fact-Checked by Sarah Frazier Former Content Manager

Jack Dorsey, Block CEO and Twitter co-founder, launched his new messaging app Bitchat on the App Store this Monday. The platform allows users to send encrypted messages via Bluetooth, without the need for an internet connection.

In a rush? Here are the quick facts:

  • Twitter founder Jack Dorsey launched a new messaging app called Bitchat.
  • Bitchat is currently available for free on the App Store.
  • The messaging platform doesn’t require an Internet connection; it uses Bluetooth to link nearby devices.

Dorsey announced the release of the new app on the social media platform X—formerly Twitter—on a post with links to both the App Store download page and the app’s GitHub repository.

“Chat with people around you. Don’t need their phone # or email,” states the description of Bitchat Mesh on the App Store. “Uses Bluetooth mesh, no internet needed. Relays messages to go the distance! Encrypted private messages.”

Bitchat is compatible with iPhones— iOS 16.0 or later—Mac, and Apple Vision, and is currently available for free.

Computer scientist Andrej Karpathy—former Tesla and OpenAI engineer, and Eureka Labs founder —praised the app’s light weight in a comment. “Very interesting. Love that it’s 2MB – I tried to download a chess app yesterday and it was 400MB,” he wrote. Dorsey replied, saying that keeping the app small was one of the goals.

According to The Street, Bitchat was initially released in beta on July 7 and is now expanding to a broader user base. The app connects nearby devices by creating mesh networks using Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE).

Bitchat uses Noise protocol for end‑to‑end encryption and doesn’t require usernames or phone numbers. Messages are sent directly between the devices and can reach distances of up to 3.2 kilometers. Messages are automatically deleted unless users activate the app’s store-and-forward function. Users can also create private group chats protected by a secret password.

Besides Twitter and now Bitchat, Dorsey has also contributed to other communication platforms such as Bluesky, a decentralized social media alternative to Twitter that has reached millions of users worldwide. However, Dorsey quit Bluesky’s board about a year ago.