Stress Awareness Day: Emotional Intelligence with EiQ Technologies
Founders Adam Kingsmith, Will Jaques and Julian von Bargen created EiQ Technologies (external link, opens in new window) to help users better understand their own mental health and emotions. One in every four people worldwide will experience a mental or emotional health crisis at some point in their lives. The COVID-19 pandemic has both increased risk and exacerbated existing mental health inequity, making Stress Awareness Day all the more relevant this year.
Incubated in the Design Fabrication Zone (opens in new window) , the EiQ team has utilized their own PhD research to create a wearable device called the Heartfelt that measures heart-rate variability and uses data-driven machine learning processes. The device’s intuitive dashboard visualizes aggregated biometric responses, helping users contextualize their emotions within their environments.
The work of our startup is centred around emotional and mental health in society.
The EiQ team takes “a person first, privacy centred approach to data collection,” says Adam, “you own [your data] and it alone describes you.” All data collected is customized to each individual’s body, heart and biorhythm. The team hopes this approach will help facilitate a more humane and inclusive relationship between people and technology. With the Heartfelt, EiQ aims to help people identify actionable triggers, ultimately helping users gain deeper understanding into why they are feeling certain emotions.
As we all juggle with the stresses of our current situation Stress Awareness Day is an important reminder to take time to reflect on how we can take care of ourselves and shift focus away from the daily pressures and responsibilities of life. “The work of our startup is centred around emotional and mental health in society,” says Adam “as someone who researches (and struggles with) anxiety and the stresses that come along with it, Stress Awareness Day is a rare moment when people can be more intentional and reflexive ... focusing on how we can cultivate positive emotional and mental health habits.”