Neurable made an extraordinary claim at CES 2026: performance tracking shouldn't end with hardware inputs or biometrics; extending to the mind itself should also work.
That idea is now embodied in a new pair of neurotechnology-powered gaming headphones developed in partnership with HP's HyperX brand. Would you believe that these wearables can listen to your brain?
Gaming Headphones That Read Brain Signals
At first glance, the headset appears to be a premium, if slightly bulky, gaming accessory. Thick earcups and soft fabric padding give it a comfortable, consumer-ready feel. Hidden beneath that padding, however, are EEG sensors capable of reading brain signals in real time.
These sensors allow Neurable's software to track focus, cognitive load, and reaction speed during gameplay.
Unlike traditional EEG systems, there are no wires, gels, or lab-style setups. Neurable says it overcame these long-standing usability hurdles through AI-driven signal processing that filters meaningful brain data from everyday noise.
From Defense Research to Esports Training
Neurable's roots aren't in gaming. Its core technology grew out of academic research and Department of Defense projects, including systems designed to monitor brain health following blast exposure. That scientific foundation now powers the company's push into esports and performance-focused gaming.
During a private demo away from the CES show floor, the headset displayed live metrics such as focus level, cognitive speed, and a "brain battery" score, a measure of mental fatigue that signals when it may be time to rest. For streamers, coaches, and competitive players, that insight could prove especially valuable.
Establishing a Cognitive Baseline
Before any performance improvements come into play, the system establishes a personal baseline, according to Mashable's Chance Townsend.
While seated at the demo station, Townsend watched a live graph react instantly to my mental state. Increased focus pushed the line upward; distraction pulled it down. The response was immediate and, notably, required no calibration session.
That baseline feeds directly into Neurable's standout feature: PRIME.
PRIME: Neurofeedback for Peak Focus
PRIME is Neurable's neurofeedback system, best described as a guided mental warm-up. Rather than offering vague prompts to relax or concentrate, PRIME visualizes cognitive state in real time. As focus improves, scattered dots on the screen gradually collapse into a single point, signaling that the brain has reached an optimal performance zone.
Developed by research scientist Alicia Howell-Munson, PRIME emphasizes cognitive tuning over relaxation. Sessions typically last anywhere from 30 seconds to a few minutes, depending on stress and fatigue levels.
Measurable Performance Gains
After using PRIME, Townsend said that he retook the same Aimlabs FPS training test. Despite less-than-ideal vision conditions, the results improved. He improved his target hitting. His reaction time also dropped from roughly 500 milliseconds to the mid-450s.
The experience felt as though everything slowed down while my reactions sped up, a sensation CEO Ramses Alcaide aptly describes as "bullet time for your brain."
Neurable says these results align with its early testing. According to the company, gamers and esports athletes saw average reaction-time improvements of about 40 milliseconds, along with gains in accuracy and target hits. In competitive gaming, those margins can be decisive.
Another bizarre CES 2026 wearable was TDM's Neo Hybrid, the first headphones in the world that you can twist into a portable speaker.
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