Neurologist calls Deepinder Goyal’s temple gadget ‘ridiculous experiment to sell devices based on futile research’
In the quest for eternal youth, tech billionaires are increasingly turning to experimental gadgets, but medical experts are now pushing back. Dr Rahul Chawla – a neurologist trained at AIIMS, New Delhi, consultant neurologist at IBS Hospital, Lajpat Nagar, and founder of HealthPil.com – criticised Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal for wearing ‘Temple’ device during a recent podcast, labelling the move a ‘ridiculous experiment’ fuelled by an ‘obsession with longevity’. Also read | Startup funder praises Deepinder Goyal’s Temple device, calls it ‘wild and fascinating’
Deepinder – founder and CEO of Eternal, the parent company of Zomato, Blinkit, District, and Hyperpure – appeared on Raj Shamani’s Figuring Out interview on January 3, wearing a small metallic clip on his temple — a device reportedly designed to monitor brain blood flow in real-time.
‘Selling devices based on futile research’
Taking to Instagram on January 6, Dr Chawla did not mince words as he argued that the device lacks the scientific rigour required to be taken seriously by the medical community. He said: “The obsession with ‘longevity’ is making billionaires do ridiculous experiments and wear fancy ‘devices’ in public. If you really want to spend on research, there are people who are doing exemplary work support them. But the priority here looks to sell devices based on futile research.”
Dr Chawla expressed concern that high-profile public figures are bypassing qualified health professionals in favour of unproven tech. He added that while the device Deepinder used likely picks up surface blood flow or pulse changes from the skin, measuring actual circulation deep within the brain is a far more complex task that even advanced MRIs struggle to perfect.
He said: “These billionaires are willing to try everything except believe in qualified health professionals and researchers who have studied the human body for decades. Based on what is publicly known, this device appears to pick up signals from the temple area, likely related to surface blood flow or pulse changes. But, measuring actual blood flow inside the brain is far more complex. In medical science, even advanced tools like MRI and specialised research equipment have their limits.”
The science gap: No peer-reviewed data
A primary point of contention for Dr Chawla was the lack of empirical evidence supporting the wearable. His critique centered on several key missing factors: “How can a small wearable placed on the skin reliably measure deep brain blood circulation? There is also no published scientific study that proves this device can measure brain blood flow accurately. There are no clinical trials, no peer- reviewed data, and no independent validation available. So, without this, the device remains experimental and it definitely cannot be treated as a medical or anti-ageing tool.”
Debunking the ‘gravity’ theory of ageing
The neurologist also took aim at the ‘gravity-based’ ageing theories often associated with such biohacking gadgets. Dr Chawla explained that ageing is a cellular biological process involving DNA damage and chronic inflammation, rather than blood being ‘pulled’ from the brain by gravity.
He said, “Now about the gravity ageing idea. Ageing does not happen because gravity pulls blood away from the brain over time. Ageing is a biological process that involves changes inside our cells. These include DNA damage, reduced cell repair, chronic inflammation, and changes in how our organs function. These mechanisms have been studied for decades across different populations and species.”
He cited astronauts as a primary example, and said: “If gravity were the main cause of ageing, we would see very different ageing patterns in people who live in different environments, including astronauts, they would age slower, or lose ageing signals altogether but they don’t. They actually lose bone mass, muscle mass, and have vision problems in microgravity.”
What is the real key to longevity?
Dr Chawla concluded by reminding the public that brain health is maintained through established medical pillars rather than ‘shortcuts’. He said, “From a neurological point of view, brain ageing is closely linked to cerebral blood flow, but not in the way it’s being promoted online. Cerebral blood flow simply means how much blood reaches brain tissue every minute. The brain uses nearly 20% of the body’s oxygen. Long- term, subtle reductions in blood flow don’t cause immediate symptoms, but over years they lead to damage like small vessel disease, white matter changes, and cognitive decline.”
He added, “The brain also has a safety system called cerebral autoregulation, which keeps blood flow stable even when blood pressure fluctuates. With ageing, and conditions like high BP, diabetes, smoking, or poor sleep, this system weakens. The damage is slow, cumulative, and often goes unnoticed until later life. So, when we talk about living longer, good control of blood pressure and sugar, regular physical activity, adequate sleep, and avoiding smoking, alcohol have a far bigger impact on how the brain ages than any unproven device or shortcut.”
In a final jab at the Zomato founder’s core business, Dr Chawla said: “May be next time you order junk food from Zomato – Think! It may reduce your life span or quality of life in later years.”
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This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice.
