Scientists Question Deepinder Goyal's Temple Device Claims

Temple device row turns bigger amid regulatory review calls; Deepinder Goyal responds

New Delhi, Nov 9

They accused Goyal of allegedly misrepresenting the science behind Temple, the Rs 85,000 wearable device.

Clinical scientists reviewed the scientific material published on Temple's website but found "zero evidence" demonstrating that the device measures what it claims.

The wearable can capture only heart rate and blood flow to the scalp through the temporal artery, they argued.

Meanwhile, Goyal thanked the social media community and doctors for their criticism, saying it gives him "much needed clarity on what we need to explain better".

He stressed that social media is not the regulator for Temple. "Wherever we need regulatory clearances, we will have them before we make any claim needing them," he said.

"⁠Temple is not made for India. It's made for the world. Please check the pricing. We don't expect any more than 1 per cent of Temples being sold in India. ⁠We didn't make any medical claim. Doctors primarily see things from a medical lens, so they see every claim as a medical claim," Goyal posted.

"I repeat - Temple is strictly a fitness + AI device, and we've made no medical claims. Temple is not proven to diagnose or prevent any disease. It doesn't do anything which replaces the need for you to see a doctor. ⁠The main point of Temple is NOT Brain Flow. That's what we just started Temple for, and studies on Brain Flow are the first ones getting out," he argued.

Temple is a head-worn wearable positioned on the side of the forehead and promotes two key metrics: BrainFlow, which tracks relative changes in brain circulation, and Entropy, a score ranging from 1 to 250 meant to indicate how hard the body is working.

Pre-orders for the device opened on November 1, with deliveries expected in about three months. Goyal led a $54 million funding round for the startup.

— IANS