Indian cricket star Shubman Gill and badminton champion PV Sindhu have tested an innovative forehead device called Temple during training and competition, sparking fresh interest in high-performance sports technology that measures central nervous system activity and continuous brain blood flow.
How Temple Differs From Smart Rings
Traditional fitness wearables like smart rings focus primarily on peripheral signals, tracking heart rate, surface skin temperature, and movement from blood capillaries in the hand. In contrast, the Temple device sticks directly to the side of the forehead between the temple and the ear using adhesive grips, targeting cerebral physiology.
Backed by Zomato co-founder Deepinder Goyal, the health-tech innovation tracks blood-flow-related signals around the head using BrainFlow and Entropy systems. While smart rings are designed for everyday wellness tracking of sleep and activity, Temple generates metrics specifically aimed at estimating cognitive and physiological strain, stress, fatigue, and recovery.
Why Athletes Need Brain Monitoring
Sporting fatigue extends beyond tired muscles, particularly in fast-paced sports where athletes process visual information, anticipate opponent moves, maintain balance, and make split-second decisions continuously. According to Dr. Sanjay Pandey, Head, Neurology and Stroke Medicine, Amrita Hospital, Faridabad, athletes often appear physically recovered on standard fitness trackers while still experiencing hidden cognitive and neurological fatigue.
Dr. Pandey noted that the technology attempts to measure how the brain responds to intense physical and cognitive demand—a task significantly more complex than standard heart rate monitoring. Tracking these neural indicators provides coaches and players with actionable data on mental stamina, helping them refine training schedules and recovery strategies during intense competition.
Key Comparison: Temple Versus Smart Ring
| Feature | Temple | Smart Ring |
|---|---|---|
| Placement | Adhesive grips on the side of the forehead | Worn on a finger |
| Primary Focus | Cerebral blood flow, cognitive load, and neural indicators | Heart rate, sleep, activity, and temperature trends |
| Data Source | Sensors positioned near the temple region | Finger-based optical sensors |
| Target Users | Athletes seeking workload and fatigue insights | General consumers seeking wellness tracking |
Frequently Asked Questions About The Temple Device
Who backs the development of the Temple wearable?
The health-tech innovation is backed by Zomato co-founder Deepinder Goyal.
What specific metrics does the forehead device measure?
The device monitors cerebral blood flow, cognitive load, and neural indicators around the head to estimate physiological load, stress, fatigue, and recovery.
Which prominent athletes have tested the technology?
Indian cricket star Shubman Gill and badminton champion PV Sindhu have both been spotted testing the experimental device during training sessions and international competition.
Where is the device placed during use?
Unlike wrist or finger trackers, the Temple wearable attaches directly to the side of the forehead between the temple and the ear using adhesive grips.
Worth a look
