Pavlok has two Official apps available for iOS and Android as of January, 2016. Coming in February, we’ll release Chrome Extension and (coming February/March 2016) IFTTT integration: Pavlok Breaking Bad Habits (iOS/Android)- listen to guided habit breaking audio courses, use the remote control function to trigger your Pavlok manually, or test and adjust the strength of the different types of haptic feedback. Pavlok Shocking Alarm Clock (iOS/Android) – Wake up on time, use Pavlok as your alarm clock! Pavlok will vibrate to wake you up, and slowly increase the stimulus to zap you until you get up – for real. Customize the type of feedback that wakes you up, and never wake up late or miss a meeting ever again. Pavlok Productivity (Chrome Extension) – Blacklist websites that you know you shouldn’t visit, and banish too many open tabs. If you open one too many tabs or visit a site you shouldn’t be on, Pavlok will notify you and vibrate, beep, or zap your wrist. (Coming February/March 2016) IFTTT (If This, Then That) – IFTTT is a web app that allows you to connect hundreds of different applications together. You can connect apps, smart devices, social networks, other wearables, and more. Here are some example recipes that you’ll be able to use with Pavlok:

• IF my unread email count reaches 50 THEN zap Pavlok
• IF I reach my Fitbit step count goal today THEN vibrate Pavlok
• IF I enter a fast food restaurant THEN beep Pavlok

And set reminders like:

• IF I get an email from [someone] THEN beep Pavlok
• IF I open my smart fridge door THEN zap Pavlok
• EVERY HOUR THEN vibrate Pavlok and notify me to take a deep breath

This is just the beginning. We’ve created Pavlok to allow developers to create their own apps, so you’ll see many more over time. We’re a small team working as fast as we can – thank you for supporting us!

Describe your product in 3 words.

Breaks Bad Habits

Where did you get the inspiration for your product?

I suffered from ADHD, and found myself addicted to Facebook. I wrote a blog post where I hired someone to, *ahem* slap me every time I went on Facebook, and my productivity skyrocketed. On the other hand, none of my many fitness trackers motivated me at all. So I thought, “why are there so many devices tracking what I do, but not changing what I do?” And Pavlok was born.

What differentiates your product from similar products out there?

There are apps and devices that help people form new habits, but none that help break bad habits. Partway through our development, we discovered a collection of studies from the 1960s-90s on a type of training called ‘Aversion training’, which had very high success rates at breaking bad habits – but disappeared for social reasons. So we began testing our device on breaking bad habits, and it’s been extremely successful.

Tell us about the best and most challenging parts of the creation process.

The best part is receiving users’ stories about breaking their bad habits. Hearing how some people who have tried everything finally broke their habits with Pavlok is amazing. The most challenging part is the details – I’m a big picture thinker, so it’s hard for me to focus on the details. Fortunately, I found a team of excellent people to help make this project a reality.