Coherence One: the $199 biofeedback headband we built for artists before the take

## Before you submit, regulate. Every artist I've worked with who consistently lands placements does something that most don't: they regulate their nervous system before they cut the take. A grounded vocal lands in tune. A regulated songwriter writes sharper hooks. A paced vocalist holds a phrase without forcing it. That's why I built **Coherence One** — a $199 biofeedback headband that measures what's actually happening in your body so you stop guessing whether you're ready to hit record. ## What it does (and what it doesn't) Coherence One reads two signals: 1. **Heart-rate variability** via a pulse sensor at your temple 2. **EEG** — eight channels at 24-bit resolution, the same chip clinical research uses From those it computes: - A **coherence score** from 0 to 10 (HeartMath convention) — how concentrated your HRV power is at your resonance frequency - A **personalized breath pace** — typically 6 breaths per minute, adjusted by your resting heart rate per Lehrer & Vaschillo 2003 - **Alpha/theta/beta band power** — the bread-and-butter of EEG neurofeedback No consciousness amplification. No mystical coupling constants. No "universal bio-impedance at 14 ohms." If you've seen a biohacker pitch deck full of those phrases, you've seen the thing I specifically did NOT build. The engine does one thing: it measures what's physiologically happening, scores it honestly, and tells you when to breathe slower. ## Why this pairs with submission At Sound Pitch, the creators who submit the strongest work tend to hit **one common pattern**: they record in a regulated state. That doesn't mean "after meditation retreats." It means "after two minutes of resonance-frequency breathing, once the coherence score crosses 6." So we built a page — [/wellness](/wellness) — that walks you through the protocol: 1. **Breathe** — open the resonance pacer 2. **Listen** — pull a reference from the [opportunities catalog](/opportunities) at the tempo you're submitting to 3. **Measure** — take a 2-minute baseline reading before the take, and a second one after If your score goes up, you're recording in the right state. If it doesn't, wait five more minutes. ## Hardware specs - **EEG**: ADS1299 8-channel 24-bit AFE, 0.5 µV noise floor, gold-cup electrodes (reusable, no gel) - **PPG**: MAX30102 dual-LED at the temporal artery, sub-millisecond R-R precision - **IMU**: 6-axis motion for artifact rejection - **Radio**: BLE 5.0, iOS/Android/Linux/macOS/Windows - **Battery**: 500 mAh LiPo, ~8-hour runtime - **Firmware**: MIT-licensed, open source ## Pricing - **$20 refundable deposit** reserves a unit - **$199 launch price** (regular $299), ships Q3 2026 - First **500 units** hand-assembled on spark-23 ## Why we publish the bill of materials Because the market is full of $500 headbands with $30 of parts. We'd rather show you our BOM ($97 prototype cost) and let you judge whether $199 for the assembled, firmware-loaded, software-supported product makes sense. It's consumer-wellness. Not a medical device. Not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. And if after 90 days it doesn't meaningfully change the quality of your takes, you send it back for a full refund. ## Reserve one → [**coherence.zctechnologies.org**](https://coherence.zctechnologies.org/product) Breathe. Listen. Measure. Then cut the take.