Quell is the world’s first wearable for pain relief

Not every wearable is about step counting and sleep tracking. Quell aims to help people with chronic pain, so they can lead richer, more comfortable lives.

It straps onto your calf, and is discreet enough to be worn under clothes without being noticeable. It promises pain relief at the touch of a button.

Press the button, and it stimulates the sensory nerves in your upper calf. This sends neural pulses to your brain, triggering a natural response in your central nervous system that blocks the pain signals throughout your body.

All you have to do is snap the electrode in place, strap the band to your upper calf, and press the button whenever you feel pain.

It’s been cleared in the US by the FDA (the Federal Drug Administration), and uses tech developed by Neurometrix, a company that grew from Harvard Medical School and MIT and specialises in neurotechnology.

You calibrate it to your needs the first time you use it. You can also track your sleep and therapy sessions using the iOS app, though you can use it without a smartphone too.

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The downside is you’ll have to keep buying the electrodes. But that’s a small price to pay for pain relief. It comes with a month’s supply, then each subsequent month costs $29.99 (£20), so less than £1 a day. A month’s supply is two electrodes, each of which should last two weeks.

It’s a great idea, and could prove succour to those in pain. It’s passed its funding goal, and will cost $250 (£163) when it goes on sale in June.