Bringing neuroscience into consumer products
My name is Kai Lutz, I grew up in Mühlacker, not far from the Northern Black Forest in Germany.
After graduating in experimental psychology, I learned to master fMRI in the Research Center Jülich, before I worked on my PhD thesis at the Otto-von-Guericke University in Magdeburg focusing on the neuronal substrates of timing behavior. My academic career at the University of Zürich brought me in touch with clinical research and various EEG methods. While working for a newly founded rehabilitation clinic, in 2014 I decided to co-found a startup called squipe with my wife Lea to work on fatigue measurement in endurance athletes using wearable EEG technology.
I’ve always been interested to improve medical care and rehabilitation in my professional career but more recently I have also become intrigued by introducing those technologies into the consumer market to reach as many people as possible. For my work at IDUN I am representing neuropsychological aspects for the DRYODETM sensor technology to create meaningful benefits for the everyday user.
For me there is no organ more fascinating than the human brain! It determines us as humans, but we only become aware of a fraction of what our brain «does» to us in the course of a day. Getting an insight into the responsible brain mechanisms and the reasons for their disruption or possibilities for improvement has fascinated me since the beginning of my studies.
Every day we try in various ways to optimize our mental performance:
We pay attention to good sleep, we drink coffee to stimulate ourselves, drink alcohol to relax, we go out into the fresh air to «clear our heads», or meditate to live more consciously. Such «optimizations» are part of the general wealth of experience that has developed over generations and can be differently developed in different cultures. The technological development that we at IDUN are driving forward has recently enabled us to observe influences on our brain much more precisely, objectively and over longer periods of time than before.
I have been cooperating with IDUN on this topic for a long time. Since they have now decided to expand their competence in the direction of neuropsychology, I very quickly got into conversation with IDUN about whether and how I could get involved. Working with IDUN for consumer products allows me to work in a much more agile environment. I now work with a small and extremly dynamic interdisciplinary team and have the chance to directly work with outstanding experts in material science like Katja, with technology visionaries like Séverine and prototyping virtuosos like Andy who can build a measurement system overnight! The possibilities for me to bring in ideas about measuring mental states into such a talented team are tremendous. With IDUN I can work on realizing visions on the spot and at the same time work in a fun environment.
I have experienced IDUN as an organization with whose values I can fully identify, which really lives these values and in which a phenomenal spirit prevails. From the very first day I had the feeling that IDUN is interested in my strengths without me having to hide my weaknesses. Genuine interdisciplinary work, clear responsibilities and regular exchange within the team create an atmosphere in which one dares to reach for the stars.
With IDUN I want to use my knowledge about analysis and interpretation of neuronal signals to better observe brain processes in the future and thus to create new options to change them. We will find biomarkers applicable in the real world to identify emotional and cognitive states in order to improve mental and physical wellbeing.
I would like to contribute to making a technology that has so far only been available in highly specialized laboratories available to a broad public. With a new generation of Hearables, IDUN will open up another dimension of BCIs to better exploit the potential of our brains.
Hello everyone!
Thank you for reading my blog post. As you have already read: I am Kai Lutz. At IDUN Technologies I am the Head of Neuropsychology. Since I am specialized in Biological Psychology and Neuroscience, I will cover this important process at IDUN.
Do you have any questions about me or in general about our team or the work? Then do not hesitate to contact us. Connect me on linkedin or write me an email!
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Where to find us
We are located in the outskirts of Zurich, near the airport. We always welcome drop-in visits!
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