A cup of coffee is a surefire fix for that 2:15 PM slump in productivity and focus. But what do you do a half-hour later, when the caffeine crash inevitably hits?
A new bracelet called Joule aims to help coffee-drinkers avoid the spike and crash. It contains FDA-approved patches that deliver caffeine through the skin. The body absorbs each patch (the equivalent of a cup of coffee) over the course of four hours — giving wearers long-lasting alertness without the jitteriness.
Bottom line: Joule is about the closest thing to getting an IV drip of caffeine.
"Joule was created to help caffeine consumers emphasize the highs of their caffeine consumption experience while eliminating the lows," Adam Paulin, a cofounder of Joule, tells Tech Insider. "All while looking stylish."
In reality, the bracelet looks about as dorky as any fitness wearable. The unisex band features an adjustable strap, ensuring that the caffeine patch touches the wearer's skin. It's sweat-proof and hypo-allergenic.
But it's what's on the inside that counts. The user attaches an adhesive patch made with guarana extract, which has twice the caffeine concentration as coffee beans. The supplement aims to suppress appetite and reduce mental and physical fatigue, though the US National Library of Medicine's website says there's insufficient evidence to rate its effectiveness.
Other ingredients in the patch include flaxseed oil, a unique seaweed commonly used as an herbal remedy, and several amino acids.
Joule begins administering the caffeine as soon as it comes in contact with the skin. The caffeine is released gradually, helping to reduce the jitters.
Paulin says Joule can be worn safely while consuming a cup of joe or an energy drink. In fact, it might help drinkers avoid crashes. Long after your body metabolizes the caffeine in coffee — giving you a spike in alertness — the bracelet continues to release small amounts of the drug.
Joule launched a crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo on February 3. When the bracelet starts to ship later this year, it will cost $29, including 30 patches. Additional 30-day supplies will cost $27.
Paulin says the company is seeking FDA approval for Joule as a natural health product because its ingredients provide clinical-level potency. The patches, which are made by an undisclosed third-party, are already FDA-approved.
The company isn't the first to try to disrupt coffee consumption. A growing "smart drugs" movement aims to use chemical supplements to make people feel better, smarter, and more alert. Many of these smart drugs are pills that promise a "burst of intense mental focus" or "deep sleep optimization."
Though most smart drugs, called nootropics, are generally regarded as safe by the FDA, they often contain a list of ingredients you'd need a pharmaceutical degree to understand.
Joule could provide a simpler solution, with just one main ingredient: caffeine.
