Kunal Kamra lashes out at Deepinder Goyal over wearable temple, challenges scientific claims | Today’s news
Comedian Kunal Kamra has attacked entrepreneur Deepinder Goyal over his defense of Temple, an experimental wearable device that Goyal claims can measure blood flow in the brain in real time. The exchange comes after Goyal addressed concerns raised by doctors about the device’s scientific claims and the evidence supporting its technology.
In a post on X, Kamra mocked Goyal’s defense of Temple, arguing that it rested largely on his personal investment, wealth and trust in the facility, rather than addressing the scientific and medical issues raised by doctors. He also questioned the promise of future proofing, employee engagement and the company’s claims of pioneering features, suggesting the entrepreneur was asking critics to wait years for proof.
Check out his post here:
What did Deepinder Goyal say about Temple?
Kamra was responding to Goyal’s post, which addressed what he described as Indian doctors’ concerns about Temple. In his paper, Goyal advocated for the device’s business model, investment and access to scientific validation.
Goyal said the company had already spent $30 million to build the temple, of which $20 million was his own money. He claimed that selling a few thousand devices would return only a small fraction of that investment.
He also cited the company’s return policy and wrote, “First and foremost, a business lesson: if Temple was a scam and anything we said was untrue, people would know it in just a few days of using Temple. We have a 14-day no-questions-asked return policy (which even Apple doesn’t offer in India). If the product isn’t restored before its company’s 10-year failure. R&D.”
Goyal said he left the Eternal CEO role to pursue what he described as a purpose-driven project with Temple. He added that his financial situation meant that he was not looking for a quick monetary gain.
“I left the role of Eternal CEO to pursue a purpose with Temple. This is not about money. I have enough to last generations. My incentives are fully aligned with getting the science right. I’m not betting a 20-year reputation on making a quick buck,” he wrote.
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Goyal says Temple’s scientific validation is ongoing
Responding to questions about the evidence behind wearables, Goyal said that preprints were expected before peer-reviewed publications. He also referenced the development timelines of other wearable technology companies.
“Most wearable companies start with in-house studies. Whoop shipped their band in 2015 and the first published validation followed a few years later. We hold ourselves to a higher standard; preprints are a step ahead of peer-reviewed publications and those are coming,” Goyal wrote.
He added that the company believed the product had reached a stage where it was valuable enough for people to pay for and use it, while further validation continued.
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“At some point, you have to stick your neck out and say: we believe in our science and the product is now valuable enough for people to pay for it and use it. We believe we’re there. Further validation continues in the public domain,” he said.
Goyal also said that the company’s claims can be verified by individuals and institutions, and that independent studies will appear once the device is available for use.
He added that some Temple features have yet to be released.
What is Temple, Deepinder Goyal experimentally wearable?
Dubbed the Temple, the device is a metal-colored, clip-on wearable that Goyal claims can measure cerebral blood flow (CBF) in real time.
According to Goyal, the experimental medical device can measure blood flow in the brain in a similar way to a “miniaturized” MRI.
Cerebral blood flow refers to the circulation of blood through the brain, supplying it with the oxygen and nutrients it needs to function. It is said that during aging it usually remains unchanged or decreases only minimally.
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Temple is currently not a Zomato product and is not available for public or commercial use. However, Goyal hinted that the device is “coming”.
The debate surrounding Temple centers on the scientific evidence supporting its claims and the extent of validation available before the product reaches consumers. Goyal said further verification is underway, while Kamra’s response re-raised the questions raised about the device.
