Pavlok Blog
pavlok.com · Company blog · on HN since 2014
The company behind Pavlok, a wrist wearable that gives electric shocks to break habits, writes about the product, design and funding.
What HN saysHN commenters bring it up as a device that uses voluntary electric shocks to break addictions, with one finding it plausible but noting the site skips the obvious question.
20HN people shared it
13linked it in comments
9stories submitted
41story points
4 years agolast shared
2014people per year2026
Most-shared posts
- 1Pavlok: A personal coach on your wrist16 people · 31 points · first shared 2014 · 9 comments on HN
- 2How we built a successful wearable device company with minimal funding and no VC2 people · 4 points · first shared 2017 · discussion on HN
- 3Hello2 people · first shared 2016
- 4How We Do User Experience Design (UX/UI) at Pavlok1 people · 5 points · first shared 2017 · discussion on HN
- 5Shock the World at Pavlok's Shock-A-Thon in Boston This Week1 people · 1 points · first shared 2015 · discussion on HN
- 6Break habit1 people · first shared 2017
- 7Slack1 people · first shared 2016
- 8Productivity1 people · first shared 2016
- 921 scientific studies on electric shock aversion therapy1 people · first shared 2015
- 10Alex t kicked anger problem1 people · first shared 2017
- 11Moneysupply1 people · first shared 2017
- 12Ifttt1 people · first shared 2016
- 13How to reduce negative thoughts and quit eating sugar donuts1 people · first shared 2017
- 14Api1 people · first shared 2016
- 15Volts1 people · first shared 2017
What HN people wrote when they linked it
dreeves · 2020-08-15
Hi Maneesh! I'm actually opposed to anti-charities because I think they're bad for the world and not necessary -- you can get equal motivation with a neutral (non-evil) 3rd party, as long as you make the amount at risk high enough. More at https://blog.beeminder.com/anticharity/
PS: As you know I'm a huge fan of Pavlok -- https://pavlok.com/ -- and definitely don't think that my arguments against anti-charities apply to it even though they're both very punishment focused. Pavlok (obviously I'm saying this for others, not Maneesh, founder of Pavlok!) is more about classical conditioning while Beeminder is more operant conditioning.
maneesh · 2018-10-08
From another wearable founder [1] to you, congrats on making a great product! I'm wearing the new steel Oura right now. Although the firmware update this week broke it for me on android :(
Still my favorite heart-rate enabled wearable out there!
[1] https://pavlok.com
fasteo · 2016-06-30
Or you can punish yourself [1], ala Pavlok dog [2]
[1] http://pavlok.com/
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classical_conditioning
wongarsu · 2021-09-30
We are getting to the point where we can infer pulse rate from sufficiently good video [1]. Same for breathing. Eye tracking is well studied. So just combine all that into a single device, an AttentionScanner™ for your meeting room. This device could mark infractions to help in the yearly performance review, or help employees stay alert directly by delivering small electroshocks via their smart bracelet [2]. Contact our sales department now (/s)
1: https://spectrum.ieee.org/smartphone-camera-senses-patients-pulse-brea…
2: https://pavlok.com/
nemo1618 · 2020-05-25
Recently I came across a device that claims it can help you break addictions via voluntary electric shocks: https://pavlok.com
It seems plausible that it could work, but it's suspicious that the site doesn't address the most obvious question: Wouldn't I just stop shocking myself? Curious if any HNers have tried this thing.
bobbiechen · 2018-12-30
Link for the curious like me: https://pavlok.com/
It's a wristband that gives you electric shocks.
I realize I've actually used one before, while playtesting a VR game which used this to give "damage taken" feedback. I was pretty bad dodging hits despite the motivation.
peteretep · 2018-04-11
Friends of mine have convinced me to donate ~$2,000 to a particularly odious political cause whenever I perform certain actions, like drinking alcohol or smoking cigarettes outside of their allotted times. I have found this to be remarkably effective in speaking the unconscious brain's language.
Also, this thing exists: https://pavlok.com/
blacksmith_tb · 2017-09-08
Now if only it had a Pavlok[1] integration, it could punish you for failing to keep the beat.
1: https://pavlok.com/
nappy · 2016-05-12
Hook it up to this thing. The future is now.
http://pavlok.com
brock_r · 2015-07-15
Speaking of habits, I just saw a wristband[0] that helps you get rid of bad habits.
Every time you do something you know you shouldn't be doing, you press the button on the wristband, and it shocks you.
That's right, you shock yourself. And people do it. Never saw that one catching on.
[0] http://pavlok.com/
gunn · 2016-09-27
koolba · 2016-05-17
Someone should combine this AI with something like Google glass (so you don't have to pull out your phone), a basic calorie/nutrition filter, and a shock bracelet[1].
That way when I look at a Krispy Kreme donut I get immediate feedback!
[1]: http://pavlok.com/hello.php
KhalilK · 2016-02-29