After closing a round of $ 9.7 million this summer, Finnish Valkee start - that a couple of light emission headphones designed to counteract seasonal affective disorder (SAD) - has put some of that money into a product update. The second generation of its product, Valkee 2 has been given a sleeker look and a variety of user settings.
Device manufacturers, who co-founded Juuso Valkee Nissillä described as a "medical iPod" claim based on scientific research that suggests bright light stimulates brain activity to counteract SAD. The LED headphones are designed to exploit this effect by allowing users to deliver a daily dose of light directly into your ear canals - where the photosensitive areas of the human brain may be exposed to it.
The main change Valkee 2 LED headphones remodels, the goal of a more ergonomic fit in the ear. There is also a new, housing smaller aluminum (which looks very second generation iPod nano-ish) of the headset USB micro cable and is removable for multiple users (ie, each has its own LEDSET ) can share a single Valkee 2.
The product interface has also been updated to add the control to the device - instead of having to change settings through the web page Valkee or PC. Other settings include headphone cable internal memory and more time on headphones so that adjustments can be retained when the headset is disconnected from the control unit.
Valkee launched its first commercial prototype in Finland in the winter of 2010, the use of products off-the-shelf. A global version, from plastic parts of property, followed in the winter of 2011 That version sold for € 185 Commissioning, said today that it has sold 45,000 of its bright light helmets to more than 20 countries worldwide over the last three years. Satisfaction rates are apparently very high: 87% of users would recommend the product to others, it claims.
The Valkee 2 is available for pre-order - costs € 199, in a choice of black or silver - the website of the company. It is due to ship next month.
Update: TechCrunch Valkee has provided the following statement in response to criticism that their product does not work as claimed:
We found Valkee this web link to a site that publishes anonymous and misleading information about Valkee. I can only guess at the motives of the author. Similar false accusations have arisen from time to time.
To keep things clear: Valkee has been clinically tested for both treatment efficacy and safety of the users according to the requirements of the Medical Device Directive of the EU (93/42 / EEC) and is therefore a very European medical device approved in Class 2a for treating seasonal affective Disorder (SAD, winter blues) and its many symptoms, and is for CE mark. Many other benefits of bright light are being studied at present by Valkee and others, including large multinational health technology. All clinical studies Valkee since mid-2012 have been double-blind, placebo-controlled, though not all have been published to protect new intellectual property rights, nor is there any obligation to publish them all.
A third clinical evaluation is required with full access to all inquiries regarding Valkee 2 software product reaffirmed that the product is clinically sound, and that the assertion of marketing to treat SAD is well founded.
We will not begin to correct any false accusation only anonymous sources, and the website in question, but focus on the ongoing work in bright light research, and serving our customers satisfied with the best that we can.
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