Lumosity: Beta Train Your Brain… for free!
There’s some pretty awesome applied neuroscience going on out there, stuff that has turned the accepted standards on their heads.
It turns out that brain function, development and performance is *not* fixed in adults. It’s called neuroplasticity, and it means.. well, it means a lot of things, but my point here is simple: keeping an active mind as we age can keep us sharp, and even make us sharper.
A new self-improvement industry is cropping up in response to these discoveries. Aimed largely at the aging Boomer generation in America, but already hugely popular in Japan, brain-training software and games are turning up everywhere.
One of the latest is an online offering from Lumosity, and unlike some of the other mind-games sets I’ve looked into, this one seems to have actual scientific results behind it.
“In a randomized and controlled study, the Lumosity program
was shown to significantly improve memory and attention.
This research was presented at the Society for Neuroscience
Conference in 2006 and at the Bay Area Neuroscience Gathering 2007.” (from the lumosity website)
Lumosity is fun, challenging, and even better? You can play the games for free while the program is in beta. Since these types of programs are typically on the expensive side, that’s pretty cool.
So in the words of TechCrunch?
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi M.T.,
Thanks for the great write-up on Lumosity! I’m a founder of Lumos Labs, and I think MindTweaks is great. Especially like entries like “Untweak your mind in under two weeks.”
You’re very welcome, and thanks for dropping by, Mike! I love meeting the people behind the coolness I play with. I especially like it when they come by with kudos. (kudos are great dipped in coffee, you know.)
“Untweak” is a very popular post. Apparently, people love hearing about how MT screws up. Hrrmph!
Thank you M.T. I enjoyed the challenge with Lumosity. It is definitely a place to visit often!
Have a good day!