New wearable device modulates mood

LOS GATOS, Calif. (KGO) -- Ever chug a Red Bull to get through day? How about a glass of wine to wind down at night? Now, what if there was a device that could bring your mood up or down for you?

Isy Goldwasser is CEO of a Los Gatos based tech company called Thync. They've created a wearable device designed to send electronic signals into the neural pathways of the brain.

"This takes us to what we call the vibing screen," said Goldwasser as he showed off a small, egg shaped module that's receives settings from software on a smartphone.

He says there are two main types of settings, or vibes. One to boost energy and awareness and another to promote calming and stress-reduction. The process is controlled by a software interface in a smartphone. Once set, the signal travels via blue-tooth to a headset and into the nervous system.

"The top 20-30 percent of people for calm feel a slight euphoria and really feel completely centered. The 20-30 percent of people for energy, feel like they took a stimulant or had a big can of Red Bull," says Goldwasser.

Co-founder Jamie Tyler says the technology has evolved because of decades of research into neurobiology. In the case of Thync, the power of sophisticated software makes it portable.

"So you're in complete control. And it may vary from day to day, so what you use one day may be slightly different that you do another day," said Tyler.

The device has been cleared in safety studies, but is not regulated as a medical device by the Food and Drug Administration. As for long-term benefits, users will be able to literally have to make up their own minds.

The Thync device retails for just under $300 on the company's website.

Written and produced by Tim Didion.