Difficulty sticking to the task, susceptibility to distractions, ineffective time management, and an overall lack of productivity plague most of us at least some of the time. For some people (raising my hand here), these issues are more of a challenge than for others. Regardless of whether you occasionally put off important work or you have the organic neurochemical imbalance ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), procrastination can interfere with your efforts to be productive.
Toronto, Ontario-base Auctify recently completed a successful Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign for Auctify Specs. Auctify bills Specs as “the first productivity-boosting smart glasses.” Auctify Specs look like a pair of regular eyeglassesbut they include an image sensor, accelerometer, gyroscope, pulse oximetry sensor, microprocessor, microphone, bone conduction speakers, Bluetooth LE, a rechargeable battery, and a charging port. Auctify employs computer vision and heart-rate sensing to detect breaks in the wearer’s productivity. The device sends an alert to an associated iOS or Android mobile device when it detects focus may be wavering from the task at hand.
Auctify’s software uses mindfulness techniques and strategies to help users boost self-awareness, improve focus, eliminate distractions, and condition their minds for efficient productivity. The software tracks activity and fitness, and it helps wearers set their own goals for positive reinforcement. No one else will know your glasses are keeping tabs on your focus and productivity, which is part of the device’s appeal. Specs will start shipping in December according to Auctify estimates, and will be available with either prescription or non-prescription lenses. The glasses will list for $400 a pair.
I’ve not tried Auctify Specs or even seen a real pair of the productivity-boosters. I was diagnosed with Adult ADHD at age 69. I have learned since my diagnosis that I have a significant but still relatively mild case of the disease. The clarity that came in waves with my diagnosis and the medication I’ve been taking for almost 4 years have been equally effective, in helping me understand my confounding inability to focus and stay on task, mostly. As a largely functional ADHD patient, even without treatment, I wonder if a product like Auctify Specs would have minimized the secondary effects I found troublesome and stifling during adolescence and throughout most of my adult life. I suspect, but don’t know, that Auctify Specs might have greater value for people in the normal ranges of procrastination, distraction, and impulsivity than for those of us who don’t have a sufficient neurochemical balance. Assuming Auctivy Specs work as claimed, I can see that they could help a wide range of people. Perhaps Specs could also be enough to assist people with mild cases of ADHD who do not wish to take medication or take on the label stigma of a mental health condition.
