Revolutionising Product Design Through Measuring the Unmeasurable

What can we learn from applied bio-sensing data in product research?

Spinning out of my neuromarketing work — where, based on scanning the brains of 2,000 respondents using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we learned there’s a strong correlation between religion and branding, and thus the way that brands generate customer “evangelism” — are to be constructed. — Martin Lindstrom

In an era where user expectations are at an all-time high, understanding not only what people do but why they do it is crucial for product designers and developers. Neuro- and bio-sensing technologies are the new frontier in user experience (UX) research, giving companies insights into subconscious user behaviour and emotional responses. Surveys, interviews and observations remain the backbone of UX research, but what if we could collect data from sources that are often silent yet deeply truthful?

What if we could capture the “story” between emotional responses and physical actions? Wearable biosensors are now smaller, more reliable and widely available, opening doors to real-time behavioural data.

Today, a large range of equipment is available at different price points, recording multiple somatic (bodily) measures. Below is a breakdown of how some of the world’s leading…