24 Hours With the Apollo Mood-Altering Wearable
Developed by physicians and neuroscientists, Apollo isn’t the sleekest of wearables — you might mistake it for a court-ordered ankle bracelet — but it put a little pep in my step and is an interesting talking point, if nothing else.
By S.C. Stuart
I just spent 24 hours with a mood-altering wearable called Apollo strapped to my ankle. Developed by physicians and neuroscientists, Apollo claims to help your body “adapt to stress [and] restore…equilibrium,” so I put it to the test.
Upon unboxing, I was initially disappointed, because I prefer my future-tech wearables to be sleeker. But it did have a hint of Starfleet in the silver emblem on top, and I was curious to see how it worked. The “Apollo” comes with two straps-wrist and ankle. But it looked too bulky on my wrist, and the instructions said it worked best on the ankle, so I tried that.
I’ve never been incarcerated, but GPS ankle trackers are a common sight here in Los Angeles, and from a distance, Apollo looks like one of them. Luckily, Apollo comes with an easy-to-remove velcro strap.
Setup was easy, and you can’t always say that about tech today. I strapped the device around my ankle; downloaded the beta test flight app (full versions will be available on iOS and Android by the time this ships in January) and set up a profile: name, email, height, and weight. The last two were to ascertain which modes work best for my body type.
Then I pressed the green button to activate the device and checked the app for a mood selection. There are currently seven states (including Clear/Focused and Relax/Recharge) to help you cycle through your day. I was about to do a phone interview, so I picked “Social/Open.” I didn’t want to be distracted doing the call, so I chose the 15-minute version to jumpstart my energy before dialing in.
What happened next was weird-but not unpleasant. Apollo started pulsing on my ankle in a series of vibrating waves. It wasn’t consistent, so I couldn’t “tune in” to the sensation. I have to admit it felt peppy. Did it help with my activity level? Yes. I felt a caffeine-like buzz without an actual espresso. I have no idea if it was due to the power of suggestion, but I was alert and on form.
I then went about my day selecting moods-downshifting into “Mindful” or upwards via “Energy” as needed-and the vibrational pattern morphed during each session.
Blade Runner Reality
It all felt like something out of a futuristic tale by Philip K. Dick. In his novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, Rick Deckard modulates his mental waves using a “Penfield Mood Organ” digital device. He punches in a request-just like I did on the Apollo-and his mind switches into various altered states.
Later that evening, I chose 60 minutes of “Relax/Recharge” while watching some screeners. But soon I felt too chilled to continue. I pre-selected “Sleep,” had a shower (it’s waterproof), and crashed earlier than usual. The pulses on my ankle definitely helped me slip into sleep faster than usual, but I did wake up a couple of times as the device bashed into my other ankle bone.
The next morning, while making breakfast, I switched the mode to “Energy/Wake Up” and soon felt ready to tackle my day.
Apollo: The Backstory
Apollo Neuroscience was formed in 2016, and the device has gone through multiple university-led trials and 2,000+ real world beta tests. Kathryn Fantauzzi, Apollo’s CEO and co-founder, is a former financial analyst and investment executive, who most recently managed a $20 million new technology fund for the New York State Energy and Research Development Association (NYSERDA).
Her co-founder and Chief Innovation Officer, Dr. David Rabin, created Apollo with Dr. Greg Siegle, an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Dr. Siegle will continue his research independently, maintaining his academic position at the University of Pittsburgh, while Dr. Rabin has become the public face of Apollo Neuroscience.
Dr. Rabin is an interesting figure in the medical world, and not without controversy; he’s advocated for the use of psychedelics for those with treatment-resistant mental illness.
Asked to explain how Apollo works, Dr. Rabin said that “when people are tired or stressed, the sympathetic (fight-or-flight) branch of the nervous system is more active, leaving us feeling distracted, overwhelmed, and anxious. This is where Apollo comes into play. Its vibrations accelerate mental and physical recovery from stress by signaling safety to the brain through the sense of touch.
“By rapidly inducing feelings of safety, it facilitates the body’s return to equilibrium, essentially restoring the control of the fight-or-flight response through balancing activity in both the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. By using Apollo, people feel calmer and more in control of their situation.”
It’s clear Dr. Rabin and Dr. Siegle’s work has gone through many iterations. The original research, known as “PURRR” (the vibrations do feel like a feline purring), focused on people suffering from the effects of PTSD. In early trials, researchers tested both a backpack-style wearable and wrist-mounted device, before settling on its current form factor.
PURRR came second at the Pitt Innovation Challenge in 2017, winning $125,000, and the newly formed Apollo team has since supplemented this cash injection with an undisclosed seed and angel investing.
The Verdict
Would I buy one? If the form factor gets sleeker, yes. A mood-altering wearable is certainly a good talking point, and who doesn’t love a future-tech Blade Runner-style reference?
However, on a personal note, I’ve been a meditator for 15 years and worked very hard to train my brain and modify my psyche. The idea of just dialing-a-demeanor is tricky for someone who has studied different Eastern modalities. But I’ve been around for a while. If I was young and fresh to the game of life, I’d probably be up for selecting a subsonic groove and letting it steer my shifts in mood.
The device is currently available for pre-order online for $199 (45 percent off the list price of $360). With that, you get the Apollo wearable, the free app with goal-based modes, and first access to new features. Devices will start shipping in January 2020.
Originally published at https://www.pcmag.com on December 11, 2019.
