Overview

• Researchers at Mass General Brigham randomized about 115 adults to standard care with the Lief HRVB Smart Patch or standard care alone for eight weeks.
• The device monitored heart rate variability to detect stress or craving and prompted brief paced-breathing via app vibrations and AI-driven cues.
• Participants assigned to the device reported fewer cravings and lower negative affect, whereas the control group showed increases in negative affect and cravings.
• Use of the intervention required wearing the patch roughly eight hours per day with at least 10 minutes of scheduled practice plus prompted sessions logged on smartphones.
• Findings were published in JAMA Psychiatry with funding from NIDA and NIAAA, and the authors disclosed industry ties and called for larger, longer trials to assess durability and generalizability.