Launching today, Nestlums is a new mobile app which offers modern money training for children through a unique, character-driven, gamified experience, without connecting to a bank account or touching any real money.
The modern digital world presents new challenges in teaching children about money. Research released today by Cauldron shows that in 1 in 4 UK families, a child had made an unauthorised purchase online. A third of parents also said that they were unsure their child has the necessary understanding of financial literacy concepts for their age.
As families have been spending more time at home, it is likely children are also spending more time online. The Nestlums team hope the app can provide tangible support in building financial understanding, especially where digital money is concerned.
Created for people who want their children to develop good financial habits early, Nestlums harnesses the power of play to make a typically uninteresting subject engaging and rewarding. In the app, charming ‘Nestlum’ characters encourage kids to earn virtual currencies through the successful completion of real life tasks, set by parents in the app. Upon completion, children can then go on to manage, save and spend their earnings.
“We know that getting to grips with money can be hard for kids, especially as it becomes increasingly less visible in the modern world. My seven year old daughter barely has a clue what’s going on when I tap my card in a shop!” explains Wayne Travis, Creative Director from Cauldron. “With the growing prevalence of virtual currencies and the rise of the dreaded in-app purchase, we wanted to reinforce the idea of earning money honestly, appreciating the value of money even if you can’t see it or touch it, and not blowing it recklessly.”
Nestlums features two virtual currencies: ‘Gems’, which let kids unlock and play games within the app, and ‘Coins’ which represent a tally of real world money that can be honoured by parents as actual pocket money outside of the app.
“We designed the wise little creatures in Nestlums to tune into a child’s innate sense of empathy, and give them something to bond and play with as they progress. We’ve always said to parents: if they won’t listen to you, maybe they’ll listen to the Nestlums!” explains Fox Rogers, Design Director at Cauldron. “We are striving to create responsible financial behaviours that translate into the real world.”
Nestlums is the first public initiative from Cauldron, the recently re-branded creative arm of fintech pioneers Thought Machine, and has been created in partnership with BAFTA award nominated games developers Glitchers.
The app is aimed at younger children who do not yet have their own bank account or smartphone, and is intended to live on the parent or guardian’s device. Nestlums has been specifically designed as a safe space for children to learn financial behaviours. For example, the app does not connect to a bank account or card and features a secure ‘grown-ups’ section for managing a child’s tally of coins against money spent/honoured in the real world.
“Multiple children can be set up in Nestlums, and there is no limit to the number of tasks that can be set, rewards given, or games played, allowing Nestlums to be adapted to suit every family.” says lead Game Developer, Max Scott-Slade at Glitchers.
Nestlums can be downloaded from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for a one off payment of £2.99, and features no subscription charges, in-app purchases or advertising.
Timex is celebrating the 40th anniversary of PAC-MANTM, one of the world’s most well-known arcade games, with an expanded release of the Timex T80 x PAC-MANTM watch. Just as PAC-MANTM revolutionized the gaming world in the 1980s, Timex shook up digital watchmaking around the same time when it introduced some of the first digital watches for mass production. Following the sold-out release of the T80 PAC-MANTM watch at ComplexCon and timex.com in November 2019, Timex is now making the watch available globally to meet international demand and build upon the watch’s first-outing success. If you are a watch fan or collector like me this one should be up there on your list for a new timepiece.
“This crossover aligns the popularity of the iconic PAC-MANTM arcade game with the retro aesthetic of our T80 watch’s digital design, in turn creating a timepiece that hits all the right notes of nostalgia,” said Silvio Leonardi, Senior Vice President of Timex. “Now, following the watch’s initial success and in support of its 40th anniversary, we are excited to offer the T80 PAC-MANTM globally. Customers and fans should anticipate even more to come as we celebrate this milestone anniversary.”
This T80 watch features PAC-MANTM right on the dial, along with other special touches on the case back and bracelet clasp. The watch also packs all the capabilities one would normally expect from a Timex T80, such as an alarm, stopwatch, date display and INDIGLO® backlight; it even plays plays the iconic PAC-MANTM melody with retro flair to spare, making for a well-rounded timepiece that wears just as well in 2020 as it has since the heyday of arcade gaming.
The Timex T80 x PAC-MANTM will be available from June in silver-tone, gold-tone and black for £69 at Timex.co.uk and from select retailers around the globe.
IDTechEx has substantially updated and added to their entire wearable technology market research portfolio. The wearable technology reports are now including a dedicated supporting document discussing the impact of COVID-19 on the industry. The following points illustrate some of the most significant conclusions, figures, and data from the latest IDTechEx research report offerings.
2019 saw the largest single year growth rate for wearable technology product revenue since 2015
The wearables market had a very strong 2020, growing 19% to reach a total of $70bn for the year. The most significant product sector driving an increase in growth over the previous year was the true wireless headphones product sector, as part of hearables, which generated over $4bn of new revenue relative to 2018. The other strongest growth came from device categories such as smartwatches and continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) devices, which grew by just under $4bn and $1.3bn respectively relative to 2018 values. This represents the largest one year growth rate since peak wearables hype in 2015 (a year which saw the commercial launches of leading devices such as the Apple Watch), which emphasises the growing strength in the sector and the continuing opportunity for new development and growth.
COVID-19 has already had a significant impact on 2020 revenues, but many sectors retain long-term optimism
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a profound societal and economic impact, and many wearable products have been part of this. The most critical impact to date has been at the point-of-sale for many products, with lockdowns and social distancing measures meaning that stores are closed, doctors appointments are not taking place in person and sales of many products have been significantly impacted as a result. However, the impact has been very varied; where some products have seen as much as an 80% reduction in sales for Q2 2020 vs Q2 2019, other areas such as remote patient monitoring devices have been accelerated onto the market to assist in pandemic countermeasures.
As such, there is a complex picture, which is covered at length in the IDTechEx report portfolio via a primer document on COVID-19, which is available with all IDTechEx wearable technology reports.
Specific regulatory changes coming in 2020 and 2021 will have a significant impact in skin patches, hearables and beyond
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is profound and as such has by far the largest impact on the short-term outlook for the sector. However, the reports highlight regulatory changes as another factor which will have a significant impact going forward. This has already been seen in relation to COVID-19, where many products involved in pandemic countermeasures have been fast-tracked to FDA approvals. Regulatory barriers are critical challenges for many players, from new start-ups to global leaders, and changes to them can shift the dynamic immediately.
The IDTechEx reports highlight several other specific regulatory changes which have been longer awaited, which will cause disruption in the product areas covered. In hearables, the Over the Counter Hearing Aid act requires guidelines for that product category to be established by August 2020, paving the way for a new generation of hearing assistance products which can be approved and reimbursed as part of the US healthcare system. In electronic skin patches, new regulatory and reimbursement frameworks for wearable cardiovascular monitoring focusing on mobile cardiac telemetry and extended Holter monitoring are expected to be confirmed in 2020 and implemented in early 2021. Both of these steps introduce new product opportunities, and the research details ways in which companies are planning to adapt to these changes as they are implemented. We expect these changes in regulation to have an immediate impact on the industry dynamic in the markets which they affect.
Technology giants target the move from consumer to medical, with wearables as a key ingredient
Technology players, such as Apple, Google, Samsung, Microsoft and many others, have long been investing in product and platform development with relevance to health and wellness. Whilst this in itself is not new information, the report highlights the increasing prevalence of medical sensing metrics being deployed into traditionally consumer wearable products. Smartwatches have been demonstrated with ECG for atrial fibrillation, PPG for oxygen saturation and blood pressure monitoring. In hearables, optical blood pressure is now commonly discussed, joining other more familiar features such as fall detection, core body temperature monitoring and other relevant medical metrics. These and more examples are all included within the IDTechEx reports.
However, the critical point here is that these metrics are not just exclusive to medical devices. In many cases, products are having versions of these features added as part of a standard consumer offerings, complete with appropriate disclaimers that encourage users to consult their doctor if they have challenges. However, when this development is paired with intensive lobbying, as well as significant parallel development of the data infrastructure and supporting systems required for medical devices, it is clear that the longer-term strategy will move in this direction. The wearable devices at the core of this are an essential part of the long-term strategy, and the technology within them is being developed at a remarkable rate.
The chart below illustrates this trend within wearable product data. “Potentially medical” products are product categories where sensing capabilities more traditionally associated with medical devices have been introduced in consumer products, which could potentially see some reclassification within the boundaries of medical products further into the future. This is not likely to happen quickly, but this is a significant trend which should not be ignored, regardless of which side of the debate you fall on.
From single parameter to multi-parameter sensing
The role of a medical device for sensing is typically to represent one physiological parameter as accurately and reliably as possible. A doctor would then use an appropriate combination of medical device readings and other tests to make an assessment and determine the best course of action. However, as digital health and artificial intelligence (see IDTechEx report on this topic here) are increasingly introduced, the capabilities of medical devices are being expanded such that they can diagnose and monitor specific conditions with increasing independence from the doctor.
This trend goes hand in hand with increasing adoption of multi-parametric sensing on medical devices. Whilst these are not necessarily new, it is still the case that the majority of medical device categories (and particularly those studied within wearables) focus on a single parameter, such as blood glucose, cardiac biopotential, skin temperature, blood pressure and so on. Multi-parameter sensing often presents a much more significant challenge, particularly in navigating regulatory barriers, with companies forced to weigh up the advantages of the new capabilities offered with the significant investment to go through de novo regulatory approval processes which take significantly more time and money.
However, as more pioneers begin to introduce advanced features enabled digital health and AI, these multi-parametric systems will increasingly become the norm. This will have a significant impact on the status quo for many of the product sectors as they exist today, but the change is expected to be a gradual evolution over years and decades. This also goes hand in hand with the previous point; many of the fitness and wellness devices are already using combinations of many different biometric readings to build a more complete picture of the wearer’s health. It will just take significantly more time and money for these advances to have their efficacy and safety proven within the context of medical devices too.
To find out more about the wearable technology market research portfolio from IDTechEx, including reports on hearables, electronic skin patches, VR, AR & MR, e-textiles and smart clothing, plus the master report on wearable technology please visit www.IDTechEx.com/research/wt.
5G is considered as one of the largest market opportunities in the coming years, with large scale roll-out of infrastructures and rapid adoption of 5G devices and services. 5G will not only accelerate the growth and expansion of telecom; it will also redefine and accelerate industries such as automotive, entertainment, computing, and manufacturing. With high throughput and low latency, 5G is the most promising technique to tackle the high-value areas including 3D robotic control, virtual reality monitoring and remote medical control. Those are the problems that today’s technologies have not addressed yet.
First deployed in 2018, now over there are 80 operators in 42 countries/territories that have launched commercial 5G services. The 5G market is expected to be around $720 bn by 2030, mainly contributing from the mobile service, fixed wireless services and narrow-band IoT.
However, the enormous investment required to develop 5G and the unclear map of killing applications for 5G also put the future of 5G into a test. The IDTechEx report, “5G Technology, Market and Forecasts 2020-2030”, provides a holistic view of 5G technologies and vertical applications, which are essential to understanding the 5G market opportunity. 5G for smart manufacturing is considered as one of the key applications assisted with AI and intelligent cameras, such as autonomous mobile robot and remote real-time manufacturing. Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, healthcare applications have been adopted quickly, including telehealth, remote hospital operation, elderly care.
Many characteristic benefits promised by 5G will operate at high frequency (above 26 GHz), i.e. mmWave 5G. Such high frequency requires new materials and different device design. On one hand, high frequency leads to more significant transmission loss, which offers opportunities for low-loss materials with small dielectric constant and small tan loss.
Advanced packaging designs aims at reducing the signal loss by integrated passive components into the whole package. On the other hand, high frequency needs high power to drive and will generate more heat. Power amplifiers with higher power density and higher gain will be essential, as well as thermal management. We point out the unique niches for 5G materials and design and highlight the trends for technology innovations in the new IDTechEx report “5G Technology, Market and Forecasts 2020-2030”.
This report from IDTechEx identifies and analyses the critical trends in 5G in the following areas:
The base station architecture and the rise of small cells
Active antennas and beamforming ICs
Radiofrequency front-end modules components, such as high-frequency filter, power amplifiers, EMI shielding and optical transceivers
5G thermal management for station and smartphone
The report includes comprehensive company profiles for more than 20 key global players from infrastructure suppliers to telecommunication operators. It also comes with a ten-year forecast for the 5G revenue and connection number based on five global regions (US, China, Korea & Japan, Europe and others), 5G infrastructure and 5G component & infrastructure.
For more information on this report, please visit www.IDTechex.com/5G or for the full portfolio of related research available from IDTechEx please visit www.IDTechEx.com/research.
Poly a global communications company that powers meaningful human connection and collaboration, today announced that the Poly Studio X30 and Poly Studio X50 video bars and the Poly G7500 video conferencing system are now the first Zoom Rooms Appliances to receive Zoom certification.
As the first Android-based appliances to offer native Zoom Rooms functionality, the Poly Studio X30, Poly Studio X50, and G7500 video conferencing devices are fully managed via Zoom Device Management (ZDM) and deliver a streamlined out-of-box experience that meet Zoom’s standards for audio and video quality. With the addition of the Zoom certification, Poly Studio X family and G7500 combine a full Zoom Rooms experience with Poly’s legendary audio and video innovation, including advanced speaker and conversation tracking, NoiseBlockAI and Acoustic Fence technologies to block out unwanted distractions. Additionally, these Zoom Rooms Appliances are developed with security in mind with a hardened operating system, secure update distribution, and third-party testing for security vulnerabilities.
“Poly and Zoom continue to set the standard in the development of seamless native video collaboration devices,” said Tim Root, vice president and general manager of room collaboration business, Poly. “Our collective portfolio of Zoom certified devices makes it easy for users to collaborate from anywhere, with friction-free meetings that customers and IT managers expect.”
Only Poly has native video, voice and headset solutions that are purpose-built for Zoom Rooms, Zoom Meetings, and Zoom Phone. Zoom and Poly’s device collaboration spans a broadening portfolio of communication solutions to provide ease-of-use for seamless connectivity and collaboration while prioritising the flexibility and choice in Zoom integrated hardware and software solutions that IT managers need for the most productive workplace. Because Poly’s devices are designed for premium audio and video collaboration from any space, the Zoom Rooms certification enables users to operate Zoom-certified devices from wherever they conduct their work, including from their home or remote offices.
“Zoom is committed to consistently delivering a high quality experience for all use cases and as the first Zoom Rooms appliances to receive Zoom certification, the Poly Studio X family and G7500 will help ensure meetings are seamless and secure,” said Jeff Smith, head of Zoom Rooms for Zoom Video Communications, Inc. “Together with Poly, we can deliver a radically simple video experience with technology that is easy to deploy, manage and use so that your meeting remains the focus.”
Poly Studio X30, Poly Studio X50, and G7500 video appliances are Zoom Rooms certified now in most regions worldwide. For more information please visit: https://www.poly.com/gb/en/solutions/platform/zoom.
Today AVer Information Inc., an award-winning provider of video conferencing solutions, announced a collaboration focused on creating video conferencing technologies that work seamlessly with Microsoft software. AVer Video Collaboration Solutions for Microsoft will be a complete line of AVer USB video conferencing products developed and certified with Microsoft Teams in mind. These AVer products will feature HD cameras, professional-grade speakers, far-field microphones, and will easily connect to any Windows 10 PC via a single USB cable.
Ilya Bukshteyn, Partner Director, Microsoft Teams Devices at Microsoft Corp. said, “AVer is a new addition to the Microsoft Teams ecosystem of Certified device partners, helping our customers have the best possible audio and video experience in Teams meetings. Our collaboration with AVer expands the Teams meeting devices offerings for our medium and large meeting room solutions with a partner experienced in high quality cameras and other video hardware.”
Through this collaboration, AVer offers an elevated meeting room experience to Microsoft Teams users by providing professional, intuitive, and reliable meeting spaces that will work seamlessly with Microsoft software. AVer’s enterprise-grade video conferencing solutions boost professionalism with innovations such as SmartFrame, True WDR, IP based management, and streaming.
“This collaboration provides a fast, simple, cost-efficient way to meet virtually, eliminating complicated hardware installation for improved collaboration and productivity, solidifying AVer’s position at the forefront of the video conferencing peripheral device market. AVer solutions are easy to deploy, affordable, and easy to manage across an entire organization,” said Charles Montoya, VP of Sales & Marketing for AVer.
AVer, in collaboration with Microsoft, is breaking down audiovisual barriers by delivering vibrant HD video and brilliant audio to Microsoft Teams workspaces. The first AVer products to be certified for Microsoft Teams, the CAM540, and CAM520 PRO conference cameras, were tested extensively using Microsoft’s Teams criteria to validate audio and video quality and determine their compatibility with Microsoft’s Teams features.
AVer’s plug-and-play USB cameras offer an award-winning design, superior HD video, amazing audio, smooth PTZ movement, and a simplified user experience. AVer’s innovative technology brings Microsoft users high-quality, affordable, and seamless video collaboration solutions to any meeting space.
Some more fathers day tech ideas just in case you have no ideas this is our second pick of what might be a good idea to pick up on the special day coming very soon. Unexpected and unique, these are the excellent gadgets fit for any father figure who loves music. Whether it’s an award winning music streamer, speakers or true wireless earbuds,here is a great selection.
NAD M10 Streaming Amplifier
The audio world has shifted. Where once available solely on discs, the best quality of music is now delivered over the internet. Not only does it sound better, but entire catalogues of recorded music are more accessible than ever before. Curated playlists make music selection and discovery easy and fun, while multi-room wireless audio multiplies the possibilities. With the NAD Masters M10 it will combine all of this goodness with state-of-the-art amplification to make it an all-in-one solution that will transport you to your favourite musical destination.
CLCKR: The Handy Tool for Dads
Whether your Dad is a DIY king or not, this CLCKR phone stand and universal grip is the handy tool that all Dads need. CLCKR handily holds your device in different viewing positions so you can use your phone to stay in touch with family and friends, binge watch your favourite tv series or videos or teach Dad how to take a selfie! SEE OUR REVIEW
Bluesound Flex 2i Hi-Res Music Speaker
The Bluesound Pulse Flex 2i is an Award Winning, portable wireless multi-room music streaming speaker. Pair them together for stereo sound. Simply plug it in and connect it to your WiFi and control from anywhere in your home. Connect to your Amazon Echo or via AirPlay 2, letting you play music direct from your voice/device. Compatible with all your favourite streaming services including; Spotify, Tidal, Amazon Music, Deezer – all in 24-bit, high resolution.
For the Keep Fit Dads Urbanista Athens
Whilst your Dad might not be able to go to the gym this Father’s Day, he may like to enjoy running, cycling or some entertainment on his daily walk. Urbanista Athens true wireless sports headphones are the perfect workout companion. They have a IP67 fully waterproof rating so you can sweat, swim or shower with these headphones and they have 8 hours of charging time and a total of 32 hours charge from the case, that means Dad won’t need to look around for his charger for a while. SEE OUR REVIEW
Urbanista, the Swedish lifestyle audio brand, releases the campaign ‘Sound and Silence’ created in collaboration with London-based artist, rapper and creative talent, Kojey Radical. ‘Sound and Silence’ celebrates the launch of their latest product; Urbanista London, an active noise cancelling, true wireless earphone.
Image: Kojey Radical wearing Urbanista London
Priced at £129 MSRP, London is available in four stylish colours and boasts full compatibility with iOS, Android and Windows devices.
The campaign film, directed by Gustav Stegfors, tells a story about how we are inspired by the sights and sounds of our urban surroundings, through the leading features of the product. The film reflects how we need the silence of our own space to be creative and express ourselves, while living in busy urban environments.
“We are shaped by the city. In its silence, we find rhythm. In its sounds, we find inspiration. Sound is the most important tool for expression. Silence is where music is created from scratch. When there is sound, there is silence.” The emotive and illustrative words heard on the campaign film, that support and build its storyline, were created and recorded in collaboration with London-born Kojey Radical. The genre defying rapper offers an important, urgent and crucial voice for our musical landscape. The ferocious young artists most recent project ‘Cashmere Tears’ explored an acutely personal journey of topics, and cemented his unapologetic approach to his artistry, vision and output. Kojey, who has previously worked with Adidas, Burberry and Hennessy, explains: “I have been really inspired by this project because I create my work from my life and my experiences. I am often using my city and surroundings as a source of inspiration and the idea of finding my sound during moments of quiet, is something which is close to my heart.”
Music and sound are a very important parts of our daily lives and with Urbanista London, you can choose to make surrounding sounds disappear, to relax, to breathe and to have full focus on the music that you are listening to with ‘Active Noise Cancelling’ (Silence), or enhance important sounds that you wish you to let in, whilst still being able to hear the audio on the earphones using ‘Ambient Sound Mode’ (Sound).
These two opposing features are cleverly represented by the models in the video, their styling and the film’s surroundings.
Image: Urbanista London ‘Sound and Silence’ campaign
Urbanista aptly named their new product after London as a vibrant city full of contrasting spaces, from the bustling streets to the peaceful parks. The city in itself acts as a place that reflects sound and silence. Tuomas Lonka, Brand and Marketing Director at Urbanista, comments: “We wanted to work with Kojey on the campaign as he represents what London is to us through his individual style, music and creativity. Kojey’s input and contribution to the campaign have been essential in bringing to life the look, feel and soundscape of the Urbanista London campaign film.”
Urbanista London is available in four colours: Midnight Black (Black), Rose Gold (Pink), White Pearl (White) and Dark Sapphire (Blue) and is now available for pre-order at www.urbanista.com/london. Priced at £129 / SEK1499 / EUR149 / USD149 / 269 AUD MSRP.
Research commissioned by Synctuition indicates the Republic of Ireland is on the verge of a mental health crisis as they make their mindfulness and relaxation app free for everyone in the country
With the world on the brink of a mental health crisis due to the COVID-19 outbreak, Synctuition, the most advanced mindfulness and mind relaxation app backed by 106 scientific studies, today announces that their platform will be made free to people in 14 countries, in June and July 2020. The announcement comes as new research from Synctuition indicates that over three quarters (76%) of adults in the Republic of Ireland have experienced severe anxiety since the start of the pandemic, whilst the company reports a surge in demand and usage over the past few months, becoming one of the top three highest grossing mindfulness apps globally.
This new offering comes at an important crossroads in the way society examines how various global events, such as COVID-19, mass unemployment and global riots, has affected the mental health of people worldwide. With psychiatrists and psychologists calling for research into the impact of COVID-19 on our mental health, Synctuition polled 1,011 adults aged 18+ from across the Republic of Ireland between 12-22 May 2020, and found that 18-35 year-olds are experiencing greater anxiety than over 55s (84% vs. 65%). Three out of five Irish adults (58%) are most concerned about the economy, followed very closely by the health of their family (57%). Three in 10 (30%) cited concern for the Government to be able to get us through the pandemic. This is felt more strongly by older respondents (aged 55+) where 40% said this, compared to only 27% of those aged 18-34.
With a responsibility for us all to support those in need, today’s research also paints a poor picture for employers. Only two in five workers (40%) feel supported by their employer with younger workers struggling more with isolation than their older counterparts. More than two fifths (40%) cited lack of socialising as one of the most stressful parts of working remotely, compared to 32% of those aged 55+. 21% say their employer is more concerned about their bottom line than their employees’ wellbeing, 11% say their employer is making more demands on employees and 10% think their employer has treated their employees poorly.
The research also indicated that:
When it comes to how employers could be doing more to support their employees’ mental well-being at work, over a third (34%) want more communication with their teammates and nearly a third (29%) would like access to well-being solutions like mindfulness apps.
Interestingly demand for wellbeing solutions such as mindfulness apps outstripped demand for access to financial advice (18%) and this is despite that two fifths (41%) of workers are fearful that they will lose their jobs.
Despite high levels of anxiety throughout the population, there are rays of sunlight, with the majority of people feeling productive (96%) and feeling optimistic about the future (95%).
Developed over 10 years, Synctuition is the world’s most advanced audio relaxation program. Backed by 106 scientific studies, Synctuition has already reached 4 million users. Whilst being entirely self-funded, the platform has become the third biggest mindfulness app in the US since launching 18 months ago. Dr. Prudence Hall, an author, and Synctuition mental health advisor said:“Being a part of the development of Synctuition was such a unique experience — incorporating so many disciplines and striking a balance of scientific studies and mindfulness modalities. For listeners to be completely transported to a different world in just 25 minutes could truly transform their state of mind and improve mental health. Personally, integrating the program’s journeys into my own self-care regimen has brought me peace and serenity throughout the current lockdown on numerous occasions.”
Urmas Reinsalu, the Estonian Minister for Foreign Affairs, sees Synctuition as a vital tool for the current time. He said: “I’m proud that Estonia is leading the way in developing so many different technologies to combat the challenges of the current time, and one of the most pressing of these challenges is the mental health crisis. People are struggling to cope with the effects of staying indoors, and people are worried about spreading the virus if they do go out, and their recent research has shown that people are very concerned about their loved ones and their friends. It is vital that people are given all the available materials to help them deal with the stress and anxiety they are currently feeling, which is why Synctuition’s global announcement today is so important.”
Michael Burich, the Co-Founder and COO of Synctuition, said: “Increased loneliness, isolation, anxiety, stress and worry about an economic recession are creating significant dangers to people’s mental health and wellbeing. We are very worried about the future and the mental health crisis that is emerging. Unemployment in the Republic of Ireland has already jumped to record rates over the pandemic period, and unemployment has a direct increase in mental health crises, suicide rates and drug overdose death rates. It is deeply concerning that millions of people’s mental health could be affected for years to come due to the pandemic, and we want to save the lives of those that may be experiencing severe mental hardship due to the current situation. This is why we’re offering our platform for free, with no strings attached. I’ve been touched by how the international community has come together to offer their support for those in need, but there is almost nothing being offered by the government to support mental health. We want to raise awareness around this neglected issue and offer a helping hand to those in need.”
He added: “Neurological studies over the past decade have shown the positive impact mindfulness can have on helping combat stress and anxiety, giving people a new perspective on stressful situations; building skills to manage stress; focusing on the present; and increasing patience, tolerance, and imagination. As our research shows, the majority of people in the Republic of Ireland are feeling optimistic about the future. We would like to use this as a platform to build on to keep people feeling safe, supported and happy.”
“2020 has been a challenging year for many reasons, with anxiety heightened, loss, pain and injustice all afoot. It’s clear that community and connection is more vital than ever. It’s great to see that Synctuition are working to help others during this time of uncertainty and I am so pleased they are in partnership with the Happy Place Virtual Festival,” Fearne Cotton, Synctuition User.
The app has now been made available for free from the now until 31st July 2020 to the United Kingdom, Ireland, United States, Canada, Amsterdam, Australia, Belgium, Dubai, Israel, Finland, Sweden, Norway, and Denmark.
