How should we address mental health in the workplace? This is an age-old question that doesn’t have a clear-cut answer. Apollo Neuroscience is one of several Pittsburgh-based tech companies currently working on products to address mental health. Here's a look at the technology the company is developing.
Apollo Neuroscience Inc. is a startup that spun out of the University of Pittsburgh's neuroscience lab. Its product is a new kind of wearable device.
The device doesn’t just track stress levels, but also actively works to reduce stress. It delivers gentle waves of vibration to the body that helps wearers relax, and it brings down heart and breathing rates.
Many companies have purchased Apollo to help with workplace productivity, including Nike Inc. and Red Bull. They have found that employees are naturally more focused, productive and can think clearer if they are calmer, according to Kathryn Fantauzzi, CEO and co-founder of Apollo.
“If you are calm and happy at work, you are more likely to do better and be more productive as opposed to if you are overtired and stressed,” Fantauzzi said.
In the first trial of the product, it showed cognitive improvement by 25%, according to Fantauzzi. The results showed the subjects receiving the same benefits they would receive if they meditated every day. While the trials have shown promising data for some use cases, not every participant saw improvement.
Product trials also suggest that Apollo gives people up to 30 more minutes of sleep per night. Apollo utilizes built-in AI that predicts when people will wake up in the night by sensing movement, and it turns on and sends out gentle pulses to help soothe wearers back to sleep.
The product is available to the public through the company's website or Amazon for a list price of $349.99.
With 20 employees, Apollo is constantly making improvements to the product and sending out updates for the app and the device. Apollo also has a partnership with Oura Health Oy, maker of the Oura Ring, a smart ring that measures fitness, stress and sleep. Through this partnership, Apollo pulls data from the Oura Ring to determine wearers' stress levels and generate “Apollo Vibes” specific to the person.
