Emotiv

Emotiv Inc. is a bioinformatics and technology firm focused on advancing the understanding of the human brain through wearable electroencephalography (EEG) products. Founded in 2011 by Tan Le and Dr. Geoff Mackellar, the company is headquartered in San Francisco, with additional facilities in Sydney, Hanoi, and Ho Chi Minh City. The company's origins trace back to Emotiv Systems, founded in Australia in 2003 by Tan Le, Nam Do, Allan Snyder, and Neil Weste, which released the first EPOC neuroheadset in 2009. In 2010, Le and Mackellar established a new U.S. entity, Emotiv Lifesciences Inc., which was officially renamed Emotiv Inc. in December 2013.

CEO Tan Le, a Vietnamese-born Australian entrepreneur, was recognized as Young Australian of the Year in 1998 for her social activism. Before Emotiv, she co-founded SASme, a company that pioneered SMS application platforms. Her journey as a refugee and subsequent success in technology have been featured in the National Museum of Australia. Co-founder and Chief Science Officer Dr. Geoff Mackellar drives the company's research and development strategy. The company's business model centers on the sale of its hardware, including various EEG headsets, and subscription-based access to its software platforms and data. Clients range from academic researchers and developers to enterprise customers in sectors like market research, automotive, and healthcare, as well as individuals interested in personal wellness.

Emotiv's product line consists of wireless EEG headsets with varying channel counts, designed for different applications. The EPOC+ and the newer EPOC X are 14-channel devices aimed at professional and scientific research, featuring saline-based wet sensors and 9-axis motion sensors. The Insight is a 5-channel headset designed for everyday consumer use for applications like self-quantification and brain-computer interface (BCI) development. The company also offers software solutions, including EmotivPRO for data acquisition and analysis, EmotivBCI for translating brain signals into commands, and a developer-focused SDK for creating custom applications. A notable feature is the ability for users to train the system to recognize specific mental commands and facial expressions, enabling control over virtual and physical objects. This technology has been applied in diverse fields, from assisting individuals with physical impairments to consumer product research and interactive art.

Keywords: bioinformatics, electroencephalography, EEG, neurotechnology, brain-computer interface, BCI, wearable technology, neuroinformatics, brain monitoring, cognitive performance, mental wellness, neurofeedback, brain mapping, contextual EEG, human-computer interaction, remote brain research, neuroscience research, EEG headset, brain data, neuro-marketing