While the current wearables movement is undeniable, most current devices fall into three categories: fitness, futuristic, and downright foolish. While it’s early days yet, a wearable device has yet to emerge with both broad public appeal and disruptive potential.
Maneesh Sethi, noted ‘hack’ author, is looking to change that with Pavlok, a wearable designed to improve user habits through shock therapy. Using negative reinforcement to alter behaviour patterns, Pavlok appears quite versitile in its ability to mess with your psychology. Hit the snooze button too many times? Zap. Ignoring your daily fitness goal? Zap.
Pavlok will also allow friends to keep their finger on the trigger via Facebook integration, adding an extra layer of social pressure to the physical stimulus. Posting photos from the bar when you should be at home in bed? Zap.
Pavlok is still in early beta testing, but will be launching a crowdfunding project this September to help achieve public availability by early 2015 (early short-run prototypes currently cost around $250, but final production models will be cheaper). Those interested in shocking themselves into a better life can sign up for more info at the source link below, or check out this e-book on habituation written by the Pavlok team.
