Friends create smartband that vibrates to reduce face touching

Immutouch is a wearable smartband that vibrates every time the users touch their face, with the aim of keeping people safe during the Covid-19 pandemic and also create safe habits for the future.

The device was created by two brothers, Matthew and Joseph Toles, along with their friend Justin Ith. After college, the three had already built a similar device, meant for people with compulsive disorders, to reduce nail-biting, skin picking or hair pulling.

So, when the first fatalities were reported in their hometown of Seattle, they knew they had to do something and adapted their device. "We had the algorithm, we had the software and the hardware. We’ve repurposed it for face-touching,” Matthew explained.

They also have a very personal motive to create this device, since Justin’s father has an autoimmune disease, as he explains: “Being in his late 60’s with a compromised immune system, I’m trying my best to keep the communities around him and my family clean and safe.”

The device is worn on the wrist and, after calibration, it senses hand movements 10 times per second, vibrating every time the hand gets close to the mouth, nose or eyes. The smart band is connected to an app that tracks the progress.

The Immutouch wristbands are available for sale online but the creators say they’re goal is not to make a profit. “We’re not looking to make money on this. We are selling each unit nearly at cost, accounting for cost of materials, fabrication, assembly, and handling”

More information: https://immutouch.com/

Adapted from: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-invention-insight/...
https://techcrunch.com/2020/03/09/dont-immutouch/