Review of Wire Tap

This is an incredible idea! Having a pair of headphones that can detect brain waves and sense when a person is not well is really innovative. I especially applaud this group for trying to find a solution to the growing mental health issues. Being diagnosed with a mental disorder such as anxiety, depression, and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is not taken seriously enough. These issues take a toll on everyday life and functions that people with “normal” brains take for granted. I use the term normal very loosely because every brain has its own patterns. Because of this reason I find this idea so fascinating.

I mean think about it. Every action we take is a constant interaction of our brain sending signals to the rest of our body. But what happens when these signals are disrupted because of reoccurring thoughts? What happens when people can not do even the most mundane activity because of thoughts? This creates abnormal and, sometimes, worrisome behavior. Wiretap came up with the solution to create a pair of regular looking headphones that can detect this abnormal behavior in brain waves and signals. When such activity occurs, the Bluetooth sends a message to the smart device its connected to asking of the person is okay. If the user does not respond, the app will automatically alert the members listed as emergency contacts by the user. Amazing right? Music is one of the refuges that kids and teenagers go to when the world feels overbearing and this device can keep in check those bad thoughts.

Wiretap would be really useful for psychologist and psychiatrists to keep a track of the brain activity in their patient’s brain. By having a log on the brain activity, the doctors could identify the trigger for the abnormal wave pattern. If expanding on this note, the headphones could help patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) by identifying the triggers.

The downside with Wiretap is the cost for the technology. The headphones would have to be sold at a high price because of the technology, and the small space where it would be placed. I believe that if the group focuses on selling their product to the medical field would be the smartest option because then the device can get prescripted to the patients. This would reduce cost because health insurance should cover it.

Over all this is a great project and it should definitively be funded!