Contact loss - explained

If you are in the middle of a session and your app suddenly alerts you that the session has been paused due to "Contact Loss" or "Headset Loose", you might wonder if you did something wrong. You didn't. This is a built-in feature designed specifically for your comfort and the effectiveness of the session.

Here is exactly what is happening in your headset when you see that alert.

What happens during a contact loss?

For your Mave headset to work, it needs to maintain a continuous, electrical loop through the pads and across your forehead. A "contact loss" simply means that this loop has been interrupted.

This usually happens for very minor reasons. A pad might have lifted slightly if you shifted your head, a few strands of hair might have slipped underneath the electrode, or there might be a bit too much natural oil or sweat on your skin, acting as a barrier.

In neurostimulation, this barrier is called impedance. Your headset is constantly measuring this impedance, which is just a technical term for the amount of resistance between the pads and your skin. If the impedance gets too high, the sensors inside the headset instantly detect that the current is no longer flowing smoothly.

Why we pause the session immediately

We pause the session the millisecond a contact loss is detected, and it comes down to a single reason: your physical comfort.

If a pad is only partially touching your skin, the electrical current can concentrate into that one tiny point of contact rather than spreading out evenly. Instead of a smooth sensation, it can feel like a sharp prickle. By instantly pausing the current, the headset protects you from any sudden spikes in sensation and gives you a chance to adjust the fit.

Why we terminate the session after 5 minutes

Once the session pauses, you might have noticed a 5-minute window to adjust the headset, smooth down your hair, and resume. If the session isn't resumed within those 5 minutes, the headset will automatically terminate the session.

This timer is based on how neurostimulation affects our brain. The benefits of tDCS come from sustained, continuous stimulation. Your brain needs that steady 20-minute window to properly engage the neural networks we are targeting.

If the stimulation is paused for more than 5 minutes, the momentum of that session is essentially lost. Your brain has started to cool down, so to speak. Trying to stitch together a highly fragmented session is simply not effective. Instead of forcing it, the device turns off. It is always better to just let your brain rest and start completely fresh after a break.