Overworked, sleep deprived, stressed, and can't relax-that is where engineer Matthew Barker found himself last year. So Barker developed the Ohm egg, a smooth plastic egg you hold in your hand that vibrates like a metronome, helping with relaxation and meditation by letting you know when to breathe.
Jennifer [his wife] told me one day I was too stressed and needed to meditate, says Barker, who owns Jenivox Manufacturing in Gilmanton Iron Works. But when I tried to meditate, numbers kept going through my head and I couldn't concentrate. I first built a little prototype with my daughter's Easter egg. I just intended it for me.
It worked so well, the couple brought it to market this past fall. They have already sold more than 500 eggs, which are priced at $100 each, and raised $150,000 from angel investors. All sales to date from the Concord business have been wholesale to spas, but the company plans to expand to the medical market to help treat anxiety and stress disorders.
The Ohm holds a charge for 12 hours and comes with a USB connector. People can adjust the vibration pattern, and the company is building a library of vibration patterns that can be downloaded from the website. The Ohm is designed to feel like a river stone, which some people use to meditate.
Ohm Universe is in negotiations to become a preferred partner with Healing Hotels of the World, an association of luxury hotels focused on wellness. The company is developing new products, one a hands-free Ohm to strap on a person's arm and meant for use during walking meditation, yoga or even for runners or cyclists looking to maintain a steady pace.
We've unofficially dubbed it rOHMming, Barker says. The company is on track to make $350,000 in sales in 2013. For more information, visit www.ohmuniverse.com.
Current Issue - May 2024