Sence is a wearable that claims to give you insights “that help you improve your wellbeing by automatically logging when and where you feel key emotions”. Find out how this Kickstarter project works today in our review.
What is Sence?
Sence is a wearable smart device currently seeking funding on Kickstarter.com. The project has currently received $34,000 of funding towards its $100,000 goal (as of November 2, 2016).
What makes Sence different from the billions of other fitness trackers and wearables available today? Sence wants to track your emotions – not your calories. It claims to help improve your wellbeing “by automatically logging when and where you feel key emotions.”
That’s why Sence is calling itself “the evolution of mindfulness and productivity.” By using the device regularly, you can learn how to optimize your emotions.
The idea behind Sence is that you use fitness trackers to improve your physical health and now, you can use Sence to improve your emotional health.
How exactly does Sence plan to track your emotions? Let’s take a closer look at the technology behind this wearable.
How Does Sence Work?
Sence relies on a series of algorithms called SenceHub. These algorithms work together to track your stress, vitality, and emotions, helping you adjust your daily routine to maximize happiness and productivity.
SenceHub takes raw physiological data from the SenceBand, which is the actual wearable device around your wrist.
Together, here are some of the key features provided by SenceBand and SenceHub:
- -Track your daily physical activity, steps, heart rate, and vitality levels
- -Get notifications when something interesting recently happened with your emotional states
- -Keep up to date on the emotional states of people in your social network, helping you “understand the kind of support you can offer whether it be giving them their space, going to cheer them up or anywhere in between”
- -ECG scans that sync up with your calendar and location, helping you track your emotions at work, school, home, the bar, and wherever else you travel in each day
All of these algorithms run in the background of the device. SenceBand claims to provide hospital grade ECG ratings with a resolution of 4 milliseconds. This data is then sent into the algorithm, where it’s compared against data from 22,000 patients.
What Can You Track with Sence?
What do all of these algorithms and datasets give you? Here are all the things you’ll learn while using Sence:
- Stress and vitality levels
- 64 different emotional and bodily states
- Physical and mental recovery
- Exercise performance insights
- Heart rate variability
- Calendar syncing insights
- “Super-precise heartbeat data”
- Locations of readings
- Wellbeing of friends and family
- Holistic wellness goals
SenceBand Features
The SenceBand is the part of Sence that you actually wear around your wrist. It’s kind of shaped like a miniature iPod, featuring rounded edges and a comfortable stretchy band to secure it against your wrist. Here are all the features included in the SenceBand:
- Easy USB charging
- LED notifications
- Modern overlap design
- 48+ hours of battery life
- “Unmistakable textured styling”
- Customizable adjustable clasp
- Precise heart rate tracking technology
- IP 64 waterproof protection
SenceHub Features
SenceHub, on the other hand, is the set of algorithms that interpret data from the SenceBand. SenceHub is also the mobile app that you install on your phone to track the physical data from your SenceBand. Here are the features you’ll encounter in SenceHub:
- Bodily state mapping
- Network wellbeing analysis
- Workout performance and recovery analytics
All this information is displayed in a colorful, modern-looking UI that resembles most other fitness and health apps on the market today.
You can track your progress over time, compare your results with other people in your Sence network, and dive into deep details about your physical and emotional performance.
The above features are included in the app for free. However, Sence also plans to roll out a premium app that unlocks more data for you to use. All Kickstarter backers will receive one month of access to this app for free.
What Kind of Emotions Can Sence Track?
Sence uses its ECG tracker to chart 64 different emotions and bodily states. These 64 emotions and bodily states consist of 32 separate emotions and 2 intensity levels. Trackable emotions and intensity levels include:
- Serenity, joy, and ecstasy, and optimism
- Acceptance, trust, admiration, and love
- Apprehension, fear, terror, and submission
- Distraction, surprise, amazement, and awe
- Pensiveness, sadness, grief, and disapproval
- Boredom, disgust, loathing, and remorse
- Annoyance, anger, range, and contempt
- Interest, anticipation, vigilance, and aggressiveness
These emotions are charted on a wheel called Plutchik’s Wheel of Emotions. You don’t actually have to track all of these emotions by default.
Sence lets you pick the emotions to track that matter most to you and your lifestyle.
Sence Pricing
Sence is currently available on Kickstarter, where a number of early bird specials are still available. Here’s how pricing breaks down:
-Ultra Early Bird Sence ($129): 1 band
-Ultra Early Bird Sence for Two ($249): 2 bands
-Early Bird Sence for Two ($319): 2 bands
-Final Retail Price: $258
Sence claims that its ultra early bird pricing is 50% of the final retail price. Based on that information, the final retail cost of Sence will be $258.
All of the above packages let you choose your color. You also get one free month of SenceHub Premium (the basic app and all the features mentioned above will always be available for free).
There are no set colors available as of yet. Sence is taking votes from backers on the most-requested colors. The three most-popular colors at the end of voting will be used in the final design.
Shipping is available anywhere in the world.
Sence Release Date
The estimated delivery date for all of the above Sence orders, as of November 2016, is August 2017. As of November 2, 2016, Sence had received $33,833 of its $100,000 goal with 28 days to go (November 30, 2016 is the last date for funding).
Sence Review Summary
Sence is a Kickstarter project that appears it will be successfully funded. The wearable device is made by a biotech company named Planexta.
Using ECG and heart rate data, Sence promises to track your emotional state, helping you analyze how you feel throughout the day – and how your emotions change in different physical locations and while performing different physical activities.
While other wearables track your fitness and activity, Sence does all of that while also giving you additional insight into your emotional data.
To learn more about Sence, visit their Kickstarter page here.
