The new $499 BCI headphones track mental fatigue and cognitive strain before you feel it
Brain-computer interface company Neurable has today launched the MW75 Neuro LT, the next-generation follow-up to its brain-sensing headphones.
The new model keeps the same advanced core technology as the original MW75 Neuro, which we initially tested as a prototype at CES 2024. However, it offers a lighter, more comfortable design that’s more suited for all-day use. The LT edition is also available at a more accessible $499 price point, which is $200 less than the debut edition’s original $699 tag.
The release, according to Neurable, is a direct response to feedback on the original MW75 Neuro.
Again, the premise remains the same: by embedding 12 soft-fabric EEG sensors into the earcups of a pair of premium Master & Dynamic noise-cancelling headphones, the device aims to measure your brain activity.
It promises to solve the ‘Brain Health Gap’, giving users a dashboard for their mind in the same way a fitness tracker provides one for the body.
The intended experience is seamless. You start the day with a two-minute ‘Cognitive Snapshot’ to gauge your brain’s readiness. Then, as you wear the headphones throughout the day, they passively track your cognitive state.
Users will receive proactive ‘Brain Break’ prompts via the companion app when it detects your focus is naturally dipping—often, Neurable claims, before you subjectively feel tired or burnt out.
The app is also, as you would expect, home to all the data. Neurable distils this into a suite of metrics, including a morning ‘Mental Recovery’ score, a ‘Cognitive Strain’ tracker to monitor mental exertion, ‘Cognitive Speed’ to see when you’re sharpest, and an intriguing weekly ‘Brain Age’ score that benchmarks your cognitive fitness against your chronological age.
The Wareable take
When we first tested the prototype of the original MW75-Neuro at CES 2024, the experience was genuinely eye-opening. We saw a live graph of our own concentration levels soar while reading an email and then plummet the moment we were interrupted. It was a tangible and impressive demonstration that proved the underlying technology was the real deal, overcoming our long-held skepticism about consumer brain-computer interface (BCI) wearables.
The launch of the MW75 Neuro LT feels like a crucial next step for the brand. By making the headphones 12% lighter and significantly more affordable, Neurable is addressing the two biggest barriers to taking this technology from a niche, high-concept gadget to a viable everyday tool for knowledge workers, creatives, or anyone serious about managing their mental energy.
In a world of constant distraction, the ability to get objective, proactive feedback on your mental state—to know precisely when to push for deep work and when to take a restorative break—could prove incredibly powerful. And this lighter, more affordable model could be the device that finally brings BCI out of the lab and into the mainstream.
