History of the HumanCharger

With more than 15 years in the market, and over 100,000 devices sold, the HumanCharger is one of the greatest innovation in the bright light field.

Motivated to find a remedy for the long, dark winters of their home in northern Finland, scientist Juuso Nissila and engineer Antti Aunio, in collaboration with researchers at the University of Oulu, launched the company “Valkee OY” in 2007. Their goal was to develop an innovative, portable, bright light device designed specifically to prevent and treat SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder), low energy, anxiety, depression, and jet lag. The device was later called the “Valkee HumanCharger.”   

The concept behind the HumanCharger originated from the understanding that light exposure plays a crucial role in regulating our biological rhythms and mood. It's particularly vital in regions with limited sunlight during certain seasons and for individuals traveling frequently over multiple time zones. 

It was originally thought that a person’s biological clock only receives photonic energy via light-sensitive receptor proteins (called opsins) in the eye's retina. However, several recent studies indicate that the ear canal is a very convenient and short passageway for light to reach photosensitive brain areas because the eardrum is transparent and the bone structure is thin. 

Results showed a significantly increased activation of the visual and sensory-motor areas of the brain in the groups that received bright light in their ears, compared to zero activation in the placebo control group. Based on these findings, Nissila and Aunio determined that conditions like SAD, which are already treated with bright light therapy via desktop blue light boxes, could just as easily be treated by directing small amounts of light directly to the brain, through the ears.

All the research started to make sense since a lack of exposure to sufficient light primarily causes SAD. Widely characterized by the usual symptoms of depression, an increased need for sleep, annoying fatigue, craving for carbohydrates, weight gain, and even anxiety during darker winter months or cloudy days.

In 2009, Valkee introduced their revolutionary device which quickly gained attention for its unique approach to light therapy, offering a portable and convenient solution for those affected by SAD and other emotional disorders. Over few years later Valkee named the device HumanCharger and continued to refine the device by incorporating feedback from users and collaborating with researchers to validate its effectiveness.

Although the HumanCharger was initially developed for the treatment of SAD, the logical next step in the development of this technology for therapeutic use was to show that it could improve a person’s well-being, increase both physical and cognitive performance, decrease anxiety, or be used to biohack circadian rhythms and address jet lag. They even tested the hypothesis that bright light treatment could improve psychomotor speed in athletes. Psychomotor speed, particularly motor time with a visual warning signal, improved after transcranial bright light treatment in professional ice hockey players, during the competition season in the dark time of the year.

In 2022, the product was taken over by Humancharger.com ApS, a Danish company based in the Copenhagen metropolitan area. The company continues to innovate, releasing updated versions of the HumanCharger and expanding its reach to international markets.

One of the first versions of the HumanCharger (to the left), beside the current version.