Giving people back control of their nervous system.
ZenBud is made by NeurGear, a neurotech team in Rochester, New York. We build one thing: a headset that uses gentle focused ultrasound at the ear to support your body’s own calm response. No shocks. No gel. Fifteen minutes.
Est. 2022Built in Rochester, NYCE compliant
Our story
It started with a founder obsessed with the nervous system.
Jon Hacker grew up in the Rochester area and taught himself neuroscience as a teenager, reading journal articles long before he studied biomedical engineering at RIT. He used his time there to start building the company that became NeurGear.
He built the first prototype on his own, and it taught him the most important lesson early: this needed a team. So he built one, and together they kept simplifying until they reached a single, focused target: the auricular branch of the vagus nerve, reached through the ear with focused ultrasound.
Our goal, our mission as a company is nervous system control. So we’re going to continue refining the technology to give people back control of their nervous systems.Jon Hacker, founder
Today ZenBud Series 2 is designed, assembled and tested by that same team, in our very own space in Rochester.
Fifteen minutes, wherever you unwind
Why ultrasound
Vagus nerve stimulation, without the shocks.
Most vagus nerve stimulators send electrical current through your skin. We chose gentle focused ultrasound instead.
01
No shocks. No gel.
Nothing clipped to your ear and no current through the skin. Most people feel little more than quiet.
02
Focused at the ear
Transducers in each earcup aim at the auricular branch of the vagus nerve.
03
Fifteen minutes
Put it on, plug it in, carry on with your day.
It’s a headset. You put it on and it makes you feel calmer through your body’s own systems.Jon Hacker, founder
Milestones
From prototype to Series 2.
2022
2021–22
NeurGear is founded
A small team in Rochester, NY sets out to build a simpler way to work with the nervous system.
2023
Research begins
A research partnership with the University of Nottingham, alongside other independent research work, to deepen the understanding of ultrasound auricular vagus nerve stimulation.
2023
First working ZenBud prototypes
Focused ultrasound, delivered at the ear, to the auricular branch of the vagus nerve. Early users put it into real daily routines.
Early 2024
CES
NeurGear brings ZenBud to CES.
May 2024
CE compliant
ZenBud meets European health, safety and environmental requirements.
Jun 2024
NY Tech Week
NeurGear brings ZenBud to founders and builders across AI and health tech.
May 2025
ZenBud Series 1 launches
ZenBud goes on sale to the public.
May 2026
ZenBud Series 2
Updated pads, an improved fit and a simpler everyday experience: put it on, plug it in.
Made in Rochester, NY
Built by hand, in-house.
We don’t ship ZenBud off to a contract factory. Our team assembles each headset in Rochester, from fitting the ultrasound transducers in the earcups to programming, testing and packing it for you.
In-houseAssembled and tested
Every unitHydrophone-tested
CE standardsCompliant
NeurGear · 1555 Jefferson Road, Unit 5 · Rochester, NY 14623
The science
Research first. Honest about results.
We study ZenBud in the open, with university partners and published pilot work, and we tell you exactly what the numbers do and don’t mean.
PILOT STUDY · N=28 · 4 WEEKS
78.6%
of participants said daily 5-minute sessions somewhat or greatly impacted their quality of life after 4 weeks. Single-arm pilot; individual results vary.
RESEARCH PARTNER
University of Nottingham
A research partnership since 2023 to deepen understanding of ultrasound auricular vagus nerve stimulation.
SAFETY
CE compliant since 2024
Meets European health, safety and environmental requirements. Each unit is hydrophone-tested before it ships.
ZenBud is a general wellness device and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Experts
The experts who love it.
Biohackers, scientists and practitioners who work with the nervous system every day, in their own words.
01 / 08
01
The ZenBud uses ultrasound to stimulate my vagus nerve so I can roll easy into my next event, keeping me grounded, clear, and focused.
Dave Asprey*Father of Biohacking
02
DL
I’ve been using vagus nerve simulators for years in my practice, the Zen Bud is by far the easiest device to use, very reliable and our patients love them.
Dr. LawrencePractitioner · verified buyer
03
SD
I’ve used a lot of the biggest nerve stimulators, but it wasn’t harsh. It was comfortable… Then I got up and I realized how clear I was.
Dr. Sean DrakeDC, MS · Chiropractor
04
MK
I am impressed by the miniaturised architecture of the device, the user-friendly design, and the robustness of the system… Overall, this product is a major advancement for the field of noninvasive neuromodulation.
Dr. Marcus KaiserPhD, University of Nottingham
05
Unlocking the nervous system is your key to wellness.
Christine Smith*Functional medicine practitioner & Doctor of Chiropractic
06
MY
I’ve tried countless tools to optimize recovery and focus. ZenBud surprised me. After just a few sessions, I felt noticeably calmer and more centered. It’s now part of my nightly wind-down.
Dr. Mark YoungDFM, PhD
07
I’ve really been enjoying ZenBud. It helps me feel more focused and calm throughout the day.
Nathalie Niddam*Certified holistic nutritionist
08
TA
ZenBud is amazing and so easy to use.
Teemu ArinaBiohacker
Practitioner? ZenBud works alongside the care you already give.
“Everyone’s different. And frankly, anyone that’s claiming that this is going to change everyone’s life irrevocably is lying.” That line from Jon is how we try to work.
01
Honest results
No hype and no miracle claims. That’s why you get 45 days to try it at home.
02
Precision
One well-defined target, reached gently, measured and tested on every unit.
03
Simplicity
A tool you’ll actually use: put it on, fifteen minutes, done.
04
Made close to home
Designed, built and supported by our team in Rochester, NY.
ZenBud Series 2
Try it for 45 days.
$459 or 4 interest-free payments of $114.75. If it isn’t right for you, send it back for a full refund.
