7 Years of Neurofeedback: Stress Tracking to Brain Healing | Sychedelic
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Why Seven Years of Chasing Neurofeedback Led Us to Build Something Completely Different

We know the pain of seeing someone suffer and not being able to help; that's why we've moved beyond visualizing that suffering to building technology that actually helps the brain heal itself.

Bhavya MadanApril 14, 202612 min read

FREQUENTLY ASKED

Questions

What is Sychedelic, and how is it different from a stress tracker?

Sychedelic is a closed-loop smart headphone. Devices like Oura and Whoop track physiological state but don't intervene. Devices like Muse and Pulsetto intervene but don't read the state in real time. Sychedelic does both simultaneously, reading HRV, stress, arousal, and sleep readiness through PPG sensors, then responding with tDCS and binaural beats when the data indicates the nervous system needs support.

What is closed-loop neuromodulation?

A closed loop means the system reads physiological signals continuously and responds in real time, rather than running a preset program. Sychedelic's sensors track HRV, stress, arousal, and sleep readiness; the system then activates tDCS and binaural beats based on what the data shows. Closed-loop architectures are an active area of peer-reviewed research in neuromodulation.

What is tDCS, and how does Sychedelic use it?

tDCS (transcranial direct current stimulation) delivers a low-level electrical current (0.5–2.0 mA) through scalp contacts. Sychedelic targets the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, a region associated with attention regulation and emotional control. tDCS activates only when the physiological data calls for it, in 20-minute Boost Mode sessions. Sychedelic is CDSCO-approved and certified to ISO 60601-1-2.

Who founded Sychedelic, and what's the connection to Neuphony?

Sychedelic was co-founded in 2024 by Ria Rustagi (CEO) and Bhavya Madan (CTO). They previously built Neuphony, a brain-wearable EEG company that reached 500 customers across India, Europe, the US, Australia, and Taiwan. Seven years of work in neurofeedback monitoring led them to a different question: not how to make the brain visible, but how to help it regulate. Sychedelic is their answer. The parent company, Pankhtech, is named after Ria's sister, Pankhuri.

THE INSTRUMENT

Ready to put the science to work?

Sychedelic combines everything described in this article into one 20-minute protocol.