This post is part of a series that highlights equipment from the Northeast Arc’s Assistive Technology Lending Library
The Muse 2 is a wearable headband that helps people practice calm, focus, and self‑regulation by listening to signals from their own body and brain. The band is placed across the forehead and rests behind the ears. Small sensors on the forehead and behind the ears pick up electrical signals from the brain, heart rate, breathing rhythm, and body movement. The Muse app then turns those signals into sounds: peaceful birds when your mind is calm or stormy winds when your attention drifts. These signals assist the user with noticing when their attention, heartrate, or breathing is no longer focused or calm. In other words, the Muse acts as a personal coach that gives you feedback in real time, helping meditation and relaxation feel more understandable and less mysterious.
Although Muse 2 is a useful training tool; it is not a medical test. Unlike hospital EEG systems that are used for diagnosis, Muse 2 is designed to notice changes over time for each person, not to label or compare their brain function to others. This makes it a good fit for anyone that wants to build mindfulness and self-regulation skills. Used in this manner, Muse 2 can support self‑awareness by helping each person learn what calm and focus feel like for them.
