I never realized how often I touched my face until the guidelines came out to protect yourself against Coronavirus. It took me longer than I’d like to admit to avoid scratching my nose or pulling my flyaways hairs off my face. I still catch myself mid-act. Now that things have moved remotely, I find myself in Zoom calls resting my head on my chin. If you’re like me, you’ll appreciate this new wearable technology called Immutouch created by Joseph Toles, Justin Ith, and Matthew Toles.
These three friends had been working on a bracelet called the Slightly Robot Bracelet to help people who suffer from compulsive hair pulling, skin picking, and nail-biting. They took this idea and transformed into it a wearable product that prevents you from touching your face.
This smart band essentially makes you aware you’re about to touch your face by vibrating. There is a gravimeter in the band that uses a personalizable algorithm to track hand positions and to notify you.
Since every person moves differently, the band needs to be calibrated for your movements and sensitivity. To set it up, you need to pair a band (or two) to your phone. They can function without the phone being around. The app will keep track of your habits. Additionally, it is waterproof and has 24-hour battery life.
Even if you’re not a front-line worker, you can benefit from this protective technology. The company also partners with businesses, if you’re looking to re-open and want more ways to protect your staff.
On average, a person touches their face 23 times per hour. The Immutouch band will help you break the habit by making you aware and keeping you and the people around you safe.
