A new DIY biometric sensor called EmotiBit just launched on Kickstarter!
Biometric sensors are used to gather biometric data or biometric signals from a human being. Now some common examples of biometrics include fingerprints, face recognition, and even voice recognition. Now imagine using the same biometric technology and converting it into a wearable. A wearable capable of collecting physiological data from nearly anywhere on the body.
That is the vision Connected Future Labs had in mind while creating EmotiBit, your very own wearable sensor module.
“Signals are constantly traveling through our bodies, reflecting our changes in mental, emotional, and physical state. We believe that interpreting these signals will help us understand ourselves and one another better.” -EmotiBit
What is EmotiBit?
EmotiBit is a wearable sensor module that captures “high-quality emotional, physiological, and movement data”. It can detect 16+ biometric signals including emotional arousal, heart rate, respiration, gestures, movements, and body temperature to name a few. As a result, it gives you the cumulative physiological, and emotional details of a person.
You can use this data (which is entirely your own to keep!) to build projects, to study yourself, to use in academic research, or however you like. The creators of EmotiBit believe that this sensor can be used to empower personalized health and wellness, to better understand emotions and empathy, and “possibly even open the door to new capacity for communication and cognition.”
“I waited over a decade for someone to make EmotiBit. I just wanted an easy way to start streaming high-quality biometric signals from the body,” said Sean Montgomery, founder of EmotiBit. “I believe biometric sensing will help unlock human potential. Beyond the immediate benefits for health and wellness, tools like Emotibit may help understand human emotions, empathy, and even augment our cognition. I want more voices to be a part of that conversation, which is why I’m a proponent of affordable, open-source tools.”
Specifications and Design
The sensor comes in at 6.1cmx2.65cmx2cm in terms of dimensions. With a battery life of around 6-9 hrs of data logging and if paired with live data streaming then 2.5-4 hrs. Easy to wear with its strap allowing it to be orientated as required by the user.
As for the basic design, you’ll find an SD card slot used for data logging, a switch, pins (WiFi, Bluetooth, LED displays, motor controls, etc.), a 6-axis accelerometer and gyroscope, a 3-axis magnetometer, a thermistor, and various body sensors for GSR/EDA, humidity and temperature, PPG, etc.
Here is the type of data you can record with the EmotiBit wearable biosensor:
- PPG (photoplethysmogram) used to sense heart rate, variability of heart rate, oxygen saturation, hydration, etc.
- EDA/GSR (Electrodermal Activity / Galvanic Skin Response) used to sense emotional status, emotional intensity, cognitive status, etc. Usually guided by the sympathetic nervous system.
- Humidity sensor used to sense perspiration, arousal, etc.
- 3-axis Accelerometer used to gather data from movement and activity.
- 3-axis Gyroscope used to derive gestures and rotational movements.
- 3-axis Magnetometer used to sense cardinal direction.
- Thermistors used to sense body temperature and health.
EmotiBit is adamant to let its users know that the data gathered is 100% user-owned. You can use an SD card to store, import, and export your data as required.
It’s also important to mention here that EmotiBit is manufactured to be environmentally friendly. By using sustainable materials, paired with the long-lasting design of EmotiBit, sustainable distribution, and simple, recyclable packaging, they remain committed to the environment.
How To Use EmotiBit
In order to use EmotiBit, you will require any Adafruit Feather module, development board. This is essentially a development board for on-the-go use, both standalone and stackable. For the first step,
- Stack
Stack EmotiBit with an Adafruit Feather module of choice. Then insert the SD card you will be using to collect data and plug in a battery.
- Sense
Then place the EmotiBit in any orientation you wish on the body and launch the visualizer to view the data being gathered.
- Stream
Finally, you may stream your data wirelessly to wherever you wish via LSL, OSC, TCP etc or simply save the data for future use on your SD card.
Applications of EmotiBit
The areas in which EmotiBit can prove to be useful are endless, they can be used ..
- In the teaching field, it can be used to study health, biosignals, etc. Particularly useful for students studying biometric signals and their detection.
- For researchers who wish to conduct research in the field of biometric sensing and affective computing.
- To create DIY projects and art pieces.
- Or even, to better understand your OWN emotions and emotional wellbeing.
Pricing
EmotiBit comes at the price of $199 far below the cost of other more commonly known wearable biometric sensors and yet it carries all the features you may require from a biometric sensor.
About The Company
EmotiBit was developed by Connected Future Labs, an R&D engineering company in New York. Their algorithm makes use of machine learning and computer vision algorithms to biometric signal analysis and statistical data reduction methods. They aim to turn biometric sensing products from vision into reality.
You can support EmotiBit by visiting https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/emotibit/emotibit-0
Get all the details you need for the device, device usage and applications, and much much more!