Neuropods

: user acceptance and market fit of a visible behind-the-ear closed-loop wearable for stress reduction

Abstract

Yet the acceptance of visible, closed-loop devices remains underexplored. This study examines user acceptance and perceived market fit of Neuropods, a behind-the-ear wearable that combines HRV-based stress detection with on-device tVNS. Guided by TAM/UTAUT/HBM and the stigma literature, a theory-driven, cross-sectional online survey (N = 148) operationalized willingness to wear, perceived stigma/visibility, design and wearability, and market fit. Hypotheses and analyses were pre-specified; inference relied on robust regression alongside targeted majority tests. Findings show that willingness to wear a visible BTE device is above the scale midpoint but context-sensitive - lower in work/formal settings than in private/social contexts - so an unequivocal “clear-majority” threshold is not uniformly met. In contrast, the combined tracking-plus-stimulation proposition is evaluated favorably on market fit. Multivariate results identify design/wearability as a strong positive determinant of willingness, stigma/visibility as a comparably strong negative determinant, and current wearable ownership as an independent positive factor. Conditional on design and willingness, stigma shows little additional effect on market-fit judgments. The thesis delivers the first empirical evidence on acceptance of visible BTE closed-loop wearables and extends technology-acceptance accounts with an explicit visibility/stigma pathway alongside design/wearability. Managerially, the results prioritize comfort and professional, minimalist aesthetics, discreet form-language to lower visibility costs, and clear validation/privacy messaging - especially for professional settings and non-owners - when positioning combination devices such as Neuropods.

Date of Award	16 Oct 2025
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Rute Xavier (Supervisor)