Smartphone haptics for inducing calm, an alternative to meditation
Hey HN, We've been working in neurotech over the past few years, primarily focusing on improving sleep. A friend asked if I would build her a vagal nerve stimulation device. These are devices used to improve relaxation, and “vagal tone”. She didn't want to shell out hundreds for the existing solutions. I originally said no, but then I thought, what if we leveraged smartphone haptics to achieve the same effect as these expensive devices? After some tinkering, Harbor: Immersive Calm was published to the app store last week. https://getharbor.app It’s pretty basic and very MVP, no…
Smartphone haptics for inducing calm, an alternative to meditation launched on October 5, 2023 with 14 votes, #1,404 of 4,393 launches that month and more than 75% of that year's launches.
In plain words
Harbor: Immersive Calm is a smartphone app that uses haptic vibrations and sound to promote relaxation as an alternative to meditation or expensive vagal nerve stimulation devices. Users select an immersion session and duration, then lie back with their phone on their chest to experience the combined sensations. The app requires no login or technique—it works by simply pressing play and allowing the haptics and audio to induce calm. It targets people seeking accessible relaxation tools without complex meditation practices or high equipment costs.
written from the facts on this page · September 2026
From the sources
In the maker’s words, at launch
Hey HN, We've been working in neurotech over the past few years, primarily focusing on improving sleep. A friend asked if I would build her a vagal nerve stimulation device. These are devices used to improve relaxation, and “vagal tone”. She didn't want to shell out hundreds for the existing solutions. I originally…
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Source: Show HN post ↗ · launch text quoted in part
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