Biofeedback mobile app

February 12, 2013

BioZen-banner-2_0

The Department of Defense has released an Android smartphone app to help service members use the therapeutic benefits of biofeedback.

BioZen, a mobile app from the Defense Department’s National Center for Telehealth and Technology (T2), uses Bluetooth-coupled sensors to show the user their physical level of relaxation.

It is the first portable, low-cost method for clinicians and patients to use biofeedback in and out of the clinic.

“Mastering biofeedback successfully is difficult and frustrating for many people,” said Dr. David Cooper, T2 psychologist. This app takes many of the large medical sensors found in a clinic and puts them in the hands of anyone with a smart phone, making it easier for anyone to get started with biofeedback.”

BioZen shows real-time data from multiple body sensors including electroencephalogram (EEG), electromyography (EMG), galvanic skin response (GSR), electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG), respiratory rate, and skin temperature. Each sensor sends a separate signal to the phone so users can see how their body is responding to their behavior.

It can display Delta, Theta, Alpha, Beta, and Gamma brain waves. It can also combine the brain waves to show meditative and attentive cognitive states. Users can document their session with biofeedback data recorded in the phone or tablet. BioZen generates graphical feedback from the recording sessions to show the user’s progress over time.

Download from Google play

The mobile application, free for Android devices, is built on an open source framework: Bluetooth Sensor Processing for Android (B-SPAN), developed by T2.

Users need to purchase compatible medical sensors to use the app. A sensor can range in price depending on quality. The cost of compatible sensors begins between $75 and $150.

Compatible Biosensor Devices that work with BioZen:

Name Manufacturer Available Parameters
BioHarness BT Zephyr-Technology Heart rate, Respiration Rate, Skin Temp
BrainAthlete BrianAthlete (EEG) – Delta,Theta,Low Alpha,High Alpha,Low Beta,High Beta,Low Gamma,Mid Gamma,(e)Attention,(e)Meditation
MindBand NeuroSky (EEG) – Delta,Theta,Low Alpha,High Alpha,Low Beta,High Beta,Low Gamma,Mid Gamma,(e)Attention,(e)Meditation
Mindset MS001 NeuroSky (EEG) – Delta,Theta,Low Alpha,High Alpha,Low Beta,High Beta,Low Gamma,Mid Gamma,(e)Attention,(e)Meditation
Mindwave Mobile NeuroSky (EEG) – Delta,Theta,Low Alpha,High Alpha,Low Beta,High Beta,Low Gamma,Mid Gamma,(e)Attention,(e)Meditation
Shimmer2R Shimmer-Research ECG, GSR, EMG