Posts Tagged ‘neurofeeback’

Brainwave Control Toys Move Forward

Learning to control your brainwaves through concentration, relaxation, visualization, meditation and other techniques is a cornerstone for peak cognitive performance.  Learning to control your brainwave is often difficult because you don’t have direct and immediate feedback on what state you are in. Neurofeedback devices that display information about brain states in real-time solve that problem.  The devices work on a brain-to-computer interface and have recently move into the consumer market.

You can get simple models for home use and they have been built into games.

Neurofeedback offers one of the best hopes for a breakthrough in brain training and peak cognitive performance.

So I am always on the look out for new consumer-level neurofeedback devices that might be of interest to readers of the Next Brain Brain blog.   Mattel has announced a new version of their Mindflex mental acuity game, call Mindflex Duel:  The cost is $99.  Here is the short story:

“Using advanced technology, Mindflex Duel headsets sense brain activity and send messages to the game platform. Strap on a headset, connect the sensor clip to your earlobe, and align the strap’s metal sensor so it’s flush against your forehead. Your brain activity will trigger the game platform’s motors, which will propel the ball. Bulk up your brain, sharpen your focus, and battle your friends with this hands-free challenge!”

Being able to do neurofeedback in a competitive mode could be a big step forward in using the technology for brain training.

Very interested to hear from readers that use home-based neurofeedback to improve brain function and achieve peak cognitive performance.

Advanced Neurofeedback Training Near You?

In neurofeedback training you learn to regulate your brainwaves.   As the neurons in your brain fire they produce an electrical signature across your scalp call an Electroencephalograph or EEG. The EEG is detected using sensors on your head and is feed into a device that turns it into a signal such as a beep, movement of the cursor on a computer screen, a change in a video game or even the motion of a remote control toy. The idea is that the signal acts as feedback for learning to get your brain into a certain state such as relaxation, creative flow, higher processing speed, greater focus and so on.

Neurofeedback is a powerful tool for improving your brain function and cognitive performance and will be covered frequently on the Next Brain Blog.  Getting access to clinical grade neurofeedback training can be hard and costly. That may be changing with Neurotopia’s  recent announcement of a remote version of their NeuroStation:

“The NeuroStation™ REMOTE is the first technology designed specifically for widespread adoption of neurofeedback. Neurotopia represents a paradigm shift by bringing neurofeedback into the consumer market through healthcare providers, academic centers, and sports performance facilities.”

Neurotopia is well-known for using the most advanced protocols and equipment to achieve real results with neurofeedback. They have specific protocols for achieving peak performance.  It includes zone, reaction time, balance, recovery and sleep techniques and is applicable to sports, business and all walks of life.

Interested to hear from readers that have experience with Neurotopia’s approach or other clinician delivered neurofeedback training for peak cognitive performance.

Medical Grade Neurofeedback at Home for $995

Neurofeedback is one of the most promising techniques we have for improving brain function and cognitive performance through systematic training. As we have discussed on the Next Brain Blog before:

Neurofeedback training devices translate brainwaves into an external signal such sounds, graphs on a computer screen, movement of your computer’s cursor, action in a video game and even the motion of remote controlled toys.

Getting access to professional grade equipment can be very expensive. Consumer devices such as Neurosky’s headset or Emotiv’s EPOC (both of which I own) cost just a few hundred dollars but have limited functionality.

The market might be changing.

ICAP Technologies is offering the ICAP Release Meter, a professional grade neurofeedback system for $995.  To get this price you need to use the coupon code available on the Mindware Forum.  The Mindware Forum offers a good review of ICAP including a video interview.

Interested to hear from readers that have used the ICAP system or any at-home EEG-based neurofeedback training device.

Using Neurofeedback to Train Your Mind

Neurofeedback training devices translate brainwaves into an external signal such sounds, graphs on a computer screen, movement of your computer’s cursor, action in a video game and even the motion of remote controlled toys. Being able to hear or see your brainwaves in this way provides essential feedback for learning how to control them to improve mental focus, modulate your mood and sharpen your thinking.

Neurofeedback has been proven to work in a clinical setting. You can go to a therapist and in about 10 weeks achieve some real results. A typical setup is shown to the left.

Devices for use by consumers at home are starting to hit the market.   There are general purpose brain computer interfaces (BCI) such as the EPOC headset from Emotiv. It sells for $300 and comes with some basic games.

The only other consumer-level BCI I am aware of is being sold by Neurosky. It is cheaper ($199) but it comes with a single sensor versus the 14 for EPOC.   The Neurosky technology is being used to develop mind-controlled toys. Check out Mattel’s Mindflex below.

It is not clear if the at-home neuofeedback devices are producing results or if they even work well.   Consumer reviews tend to be mixed.  For example,  Mindflex Game  has 58 customer reviews on Amazon:

• 5 star (14)
• 4 star (18)
• 3 star (8)
• 2 star (6)
• 1 star (12)

No matter, as the technology improves there can be little doubt that neurofeedback devices will become a powerful force for improving our cognitive performance.  Brain computer interfaces, mind controlled toys and video games as well as other consumer-level neurofeedback devices will be covered frequently in the Next Brain Blog.

I am very interested to hear from readers that use neurofeedback in a clinical setting or at home. Please leave a comment and share your experiences.

Source: Image of Brainwaves and clinical use of Neurofeedback.