NeuroSky BrainLink Pro: Focus Training, Meditation Guide and Brain Games

After some initial problems, I connected it to our Peak Achievement Trainer software on my Windows laptop to test the quality of the signal. It was outstanding! Very clean and the high frequencies responded so well that I have no hesitation in creating a new Neureka! BrainLink Trainer based on this product. Its also extremely comfortable, with the best earclips I have ever used. This is actually a professional grade system at a very reasonable price--much better than the Muse.However, the software for Android and IPad has several deficiencies. It is not based on accurate measurements that really reflect the important changes in the EEG, such as Focus, Alertness, and Neureka!. It uses the outdated Attention and Meditation outputs from the NeuroSky chip, rather than the well-engineered raw EEG outputs that I reviewed above. There are a few games for young children, which don't respond very well and can't really be used for training. However, they are entertaining. Their Meditation sessions don't give you any feedback until its over, when you have long since forgotten what you are doing. The Android versions aren't on the Play Store and they are impossible to download from their website without running into a malware warning from Google. The Chinese portions of their website and software are difficult to understand.My final hesitation relates to the continuing poor support from NeuroSky, which comes from China. Definitely a tale of woe. It was more than four days before I received a response to my question about the malware issue or several others.I would not recommend buying it except for use on a laptop or with better compatible training programs such as our new Peak BrainHappiness Trainer Pro.

I compared with MindWave Mobile (from the same company, NeuroSky). The signal from MindWave is far better than BrainLink Pro. Attached is a comparison chart showing "one blink, two blinks and three blinks", and idle in between. You can see the interference in BrainLink Pro is quite high while much more quite in MindWave Mobile. Data in my real experiments support this observation too.

The Brain Link Pro is what I have been looking for. It pairs and connects with iPad4 apps.You have to get the BrainLink app and go through the tutorial and EXACTLY follow the pairing and connect sequence. Charge the BrainLink, turn it on and wait for the 2 beeps. You must have about 1/2 inch between the plastic and the headband and the two front sensors right above your eyebrows. I like the iPad4 apps "Art pf Zen""8MinMeditation" and "DeepWave".I had been toying with the Mindwavemobile from Neurosky since Oct 2016. I have a Windows 10 desktop, Surface Windows 10 tablet and Windows 10 phone, so I was relegated to PC programs and could not access the iPhone, iPad or Android apps.I first tested the Neurosky Brainwave Visulizer with a 40 year meditator and he nailed the meter, so I knew it measured the meditative state. I also used Meditation Journal from neurosky to record progress. The Bluetooth pairing and PC program connection thru ThinkGear Connetor has been problematic. It is hard to get a clean 20 minute read. I went to the Microsoft store and they could not figure out why the Bluetooth drop. Over the past 7 months I have been meditating a lot more and when I am in the sweet zone my mind is happy - my longest stretch in the zone is 9 minutes, average is 2+ over 15 minutes.I just got an iPad 4 and last week in April 2017 Microsoft updated Windows 10 and the Mindwavemobile will NO LONGER connect on the Dell desktop or the Surface laptop. It looks like the forces out their wanted me to continue meditating with computer assistance.

This does work although it isn't particularly comfortable, and the appropriate apps behave erratically. I've successfully paired it with my iPhone and iPad, but have been unable to do so with my PC. I wrote to the company about this issue in the middle of December and haven't heard back from them (I'm writing this on January 15th).I notice the item no longer seems to appear available on Amazon.Update: the company noticed my post, informed me that for some reason my customer service message never reached them (I'd used their contact form, but these things happen), and they've been helpful. My sense is that unit's behavior depends on the quality of the appropriate apps, and so far I haven't found any that seem effective for my purpose (using a biofeedback device for training to increase specific brainwave frequencies). Some apps I tried (and purchased) seem to have potential if they were a bit further developed, but few if any seem designed with the increased potential that the BrainLink Pro has over its less expensive cousins. In terms of value, I suspect the technology simply doesn't yet exist for a better quality EEG reader at anything close to this low a price point. I'm not planning to return the device.

Their website is largely in Chinese, even with translation turned on. I tried downloading their app, per the instructions, and the app is also in Chinese. Extremely frustrated. They apparently aren't interested in really pursuing an English speaking market. I have spent an hour trying to navigate their site for their basic meditation app. No go in English.

I bought this as a gift for my boyfriend and he loves it! I don't personally use it, but he says it's a must have!

As a sport psychologist, I ordered these to do research so I was super excited when I finally received the package, but it is a total waste of 400 USD! Both the MindWave and the BrainLink do not work at all. Tried it on a PC and Mac (MindWave) and Android 6&7 (BrainLink). For the price, the build quality is very poor too. Since they don't work, I will never see how durable they are anyway.

I really love the concept, but I didn't get mine to work. The user experience was pretty bad. The device itself isn't easy to wear and very itch. And despite my effort, it didn't recognize so I had to return it. I wish it was functional.