DigiBarn TV: the Calmpute system from Thought Technology (mid 1980s)
Channel: Dr. Bruce Damer
Date: 20/04/2011

DigiBarn TV: the Calmpute system by Dr. Hal Myers, founder of Thought Technology. Dr. George Fuller Von-Bozay is featured in this interview.

Calmpute was an outgrowth of the GSR2 personal skin conductance biofeedback device. In 1986, HES software sold our product for the PC as CalmPute. Leonard Nimoy was the spokesperson for company and was featured prominently on the CalmPute box. 

This video is from approximately 1984 and shows Dr. George Fuller  Von-Bozay demonstrating Calmpute on an Apple IIe computer.

More than 1/2 of the portable GSR2's are still in use today! The small, hand-held and self contained GSR 2 is a Galvanic Skin Response monitoring device for home biofeedback. The term biofeedback defines a method for teaching a person how to change a certain behavior or pattern, like breathing or tension in muscles, by providing some type of feedback on progress. For example, one way to learn to relax is to focus on your breathing. Repeated longer, slower breathing, will eventually lead to relaxed muscles. But how do you know you're relaxed, or getting better at getting relaxed? That's where the GSR 2 comes in. As your body goes through changes from tension to relaxation, many measurable biological things happen. Some examples are noticeable changes in muscle tension, heart, pulse rate and skin temperature. The GSR2 precisely monitors your stress levels by translating tiny tension-related changes in skin pores into a rising or falling tone. By resting two fingers on the sensing plates you learn to lower the pitch and your stress level. You basically get "biological" feedback through the GSR2 as you learn to relax and as you get better at doing it, you'll find yourself relaxing faster with or without the GSR2. Most people use the GSR2 to relax, but it actually can be used as an assistive tool in other way's as well. I use to help with meditation and visualization practice. I find it easier to get into a deep meditative state. Once I'm there I visualize my goals and plans and can better act on them. The Basic GSR2 includes biofeedback unit, earphone, instructional CD (side 1: "How to get the most from your GSR2", side 2: "fully-narrated relaxation exercise"), 9V battery and operator's manual.