Forehead Band Tracks Cognitive Endurance During Chess; IIT-Madras Startup Tests Device In Chennai
Developed by an IIT-Madras startup, the device is designed to monitor a player's cognitive performance during activities that require sustained concentration and focus.
A Chennai-based startup has developed 'Orbit', a forehead-worn device designed to track real-time cognitive health and mental endurance. The device, named Orbit, was used in India during a chess tournament in Chennai. Developed by an IIT-Madras startup, the device is designed to monitor a player's cognitive performance during activities that require sustained concentration and focus. The technology was recently used during the third edition of a hybrid chess tournament held in Chennai and organised by Neurostellar and CircleChess, where players wore the device while competing in real time.
"Our device is similar to smartwatches. Smartwatches are used to track physical fitness, while our device is designed to measure cognitive speed, cognitive agility and cognitive endurance during peak mental performance," Karthik Raghavendran, CEO of Neurostellar, told NDTV.
According to the startup, the device uses EEG sensors along with PPG sensors to track cognitive endurance.
Raghavendran explained that EEG is used to monitor brain activity, similar to how an ECG records the electrical activity of the heart. The combination of sensors is intended to provide insights into a player's cognitive performance and endurance during a game.
The startup said the technology could potentially be used not only in chess but also by athletes, golfers and shooters, where sustained focus and mental performance are important.
The chess players' cognitive data was tracked during the games, with the results subsequently shared with participants. The players could analyse their performance and identify moments when they lost focus or made mistakes.
"We launched a Battle of Brains series of tournaments coupled with real cognitive tracking. Twenty-four players participated in this tournament. We also provided rewards for cognitive endurance. The overall experience and the new insights that players have never seen before are some of the outcomes of this tracking," Raghavendran said.
He added that more than 50 per cent of the participants in the second edition were repeat entrants from the previous edition.
The startup has conducted two editions of its hybrid chess tournament at IIT-Madras, while the third edition was held at the Velammal campus in Chennai. FIDE-rated players also participated in the tournament.
The organisers said participants are also given a briefing after the event on ways to improve focus and work towards better mental performance.
The technology is aimed at providing players with data-driven insights into how their cognitive endurance changes during high-pressure activities, potentially helping them understand when and why their concentration drops. Neurostellar has also commercialised its Orbit device.