In fact, the evidence seems to indicate that these games make you better only at the game itself, not at broader cognitive function. But there is not convincing evidence to support the claim by Lumosity and other companies that these programs have far-reaching beneficial effects on cognitive functioning.” Hambrick, associate professor of psychology at Michigan State University told SmartPlanet “There’s been all this focus on brain training and cognitive training. However, the science is still murky, despite numerous studies. Plus, Lumosity has founded the Human Cognition Project, an ambitious effort to work with scientists, doctors, and teachers to advance neuroscience. The games themselves are fun, but can they actually make you smarter, as Lumosity claims? The company says it works with researchers from Columbia University and the University of California, Berkley, and its Web site links to a number of peer-reviewed papers. The entire app is well designed, with a friendly interface, bright colors, and tasteful fonts. The app also tracks which days you’ve trained, so it’s easy to keep up with the schedule. Training takes only a few minutes, and you can set alerts to remind you of specific days and times to train. Paid subscribers can track their BPI over time, or compare against other users. Many other games are available - both within the iOS app and on the Web site.Īfter completing each test, you’re given a score, which is used to calculate your Brain Performance Index (BPI), an overall assessment of brain performance. Chalkboard Challenge presents you with two numbers or math formulas, and you have to decide which is larger, or if they’re equal. In Color Match, you’re presented with two words, each a color, and you have to decide if the word on top matches the text color of the bottom word. There’s Speed Match, which presents a series of colored shapes, and, for each one, you have to decide if it’s identical or different from the last. The subscription also unlocks other nice features, like tracking your progress over time and the capability to compare your scores against other players.Įach test comprises a series of timed challenges, the goal being to complete as many as possible. However, it doesn’t seem to interfere with daily training. Without a $79.99 annual subscription, you’re restricted to a limited set of tests per day, which are rotated every day. Lumosity takes your input and develops a daily training program, which it recommends that you go through 3–5 days a week. “Would you like to remember people’s names?” Yes, I’m awful at that! “Would you like to keep track of multiple ideas?” Well, we have Trello for that, but sure! “Would you like to make better decisions under stress?” My wife could go into labor at any moment, so absolutely! You’ll then be asked a series of questions to personalize your training regimen. When you first launch Lumosity, you must create a login for, if you haven’t already. While the app has been available on iPhone since 2010, it was recently updated with a flat design and a new iPad version. The result is a Web and iOS app whose goal is to enable you to train your brain. The company was founded in 2005 for neuroscience research and development of brain training technologies. The free Lumosity app brings the same concept to your brain via the iPhone and iPad.įew people would argue against becoming a bit smarter, which is what Lumosity aims to help us do. This has been applied mostly to personal fitness, with gadgets like the Fitbit (no relation to TidBITS, as you can tell by the capitalization) that track your fitness, what you eat, and even how well you sleep. One of the hottest ideas in the tech world now is the quantified self - the concept of monitoring oneself, recording the data, and using it for self-improvement. #1656: Passcode thieves lock iCloud accounts, the apps Adam uses, iPhoto and Aperture library conversion in Ventura.#1657: A deep dive into the innovative Arc Web browser.#1658: Rapid Security Responses, NYPD and industry standard AirTag news, Apple's Q2 2023 financials.#1659: Exposure notifications shut down, cookbook subscription service, alarm notification type proposal, Explain XKCD.#1660: OS updates for sports and security, Drobo in bankruptcy, why TidBITS doesn't cover rumors.
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