Lumosity is an online brain training and neuroscience research company based in San Francisco, California. Lumosity has a brain training program consisting of games in the areas of memory, attention, flexibility, speed of processing, and problem solving.
The Lumosity scientists take common cognitive and neuropsychological tasks, or design entirely new, experimental challenges. Working with experienced designers, they transform these tasks into fun games that challenge core cognitive skills.Lumosity team also works with 40+ university researchers worldwide. It gives qualified researchers free access to Lumosity training and tools — helping them investigate new areas in cognition, based on the agreements between organization.
Using the research outcomes, Lumosity offers an ever-expanding set of cognitive and scientific games designed to improve your working memory and stimulate your brain on a daily basis, free in the iOS Store and Android Play Store. Part of what these games are designed to do is strengthen your ability to pay attention to the right things — that is, the things that help you solve the task at hand — while learning to ignore things that don’t help. Lumosity is one of the most popular brain-training games out there, used by more than 60 million people worldwide.
For decades, researchers have created tasks that measure cognitive abilities. Lumosity team has adapted some of these tasks and made some of their own, creating 50+ cognitive games, which will show the scientifically meaningful level of the cognition, and what is even more significant, improvements with gradually approached tasks. The scientists work side-by-side with our designers. They make sure each game maintains the core mechanics of the original task designed to challenge a specific cognitive skill. The designers and developers add exciting game features and themes while making sure each game is accessible, engaging, and challenging to people of all ages.
Starting with Lumosity
As a first step, you will make tests to establish your baseline – the cognitive level before you start using the application as a brain trainer. Take the Fit Test to get your baseline scores on 3 games. See how you stack up against others your age, and take the first step in your training.
Using Lumosity
As said, the brain training at Lumosity is centered around a wide variety of scientifically designed brain games. The company focuses on providing a fun environment so that users are encouraged to continue their training. Because the program is online, you can log in to your account anywhere you have an internet connection.
After you sign up, you can start Basic Training – a 40-day workout of games that the company designed to, “improve memory, attention, processing speed, and cognitive flexibility.”
You can also choose to skip Basic Training and go straight to the core modules which are each designed to target specific areas such as processing speed, focus, math ability, high school standardized testing and ADHD.
Lumosity gives you more control over your training. If you want to log in every day, there is plenty for you to do. If you can only train a few times a week, that’s fine too.
The company also offers an Assessment section where you can periodically test your improvement within individual cognitive domains. So, say you’ve been training in the core module for attention speed. Click on the attention speed assessment, take it and you can actually measure your improvement.
Lumosity Validation
Team conducted a randomized study on Lumosity, using crossword puzzles as an active control. The scientists had 4,715 participants complete the study. Half trained with Lumosity, while the rest did online crossword puzzles to control for placebo effects. After 10 weeks, the Lumosity group improved more than the crosswords group on an aggregate assessment of cognition. While these results are promising, more research is still needed to determine the connection between improved assessment scores and everyday tasks in participants’ lives. That is the next team development goal.
Lumosity Legal Response
Lumos Labs, the creator of Lumosity, has agreed to pay a $2 million settlement to the Federal Trade Commission for its invalidated advertising. In the FTC’s complaint, it claimed that Lumos Labs deceived people with “unfounded claims” that the app could help people perform better in school, at work and reduce or improve cognitive impairment. The FTC says Lumos Labs did not have the science to back up its claims. The complaint also alleges that Lumos Labs failed to disclose that some of the consumer testimonials had been solicited through contests that promised prizes like a free iPad and a round-trip flight to San Francisco.
Well, the results should not drive you far from Lumosity. While the statement on the positive effects on the day-to-day life were possibly far-fetched, nobody can deny that the application is helping with cognitive functions if used on the regular basis. Peer-reviewed researches confirm this statement. The question how it can be converted to the practical advantage to the daily life is yet to be better investigated. But, talking on the Alzheimer’s prevention benefits, they are clear, straightforward, and scientifically proven.
What is the cost?
Monthly Subscription: $9.95
Yearly Subscription: $79.95
Website: http://www.lumosity.com/