Tecnología Colombia , Bogotá D.C., Jueves, 28 de enero de 2016 a las 10:31

Prototype activates pink noise to improve memorization

Two Universidad Nacional de Colombia (UNal) Electric Engineering students in Manizales produced a learning biosensor to improve concentration and memory capacity

UN/DICYT The electronic device has a microphone which records respiration sounds which are then turned into pink noise using an internal transistor. Hearing this sound helps modify brain waves for good concentration and memorization. The prototype also has an audio input to record unknown words.

 

The goal behind this initiative is for the device to be used in language learning institutes as a tool in increase memorizing capabilities as pink noise helps produce adequate concentration levels.

 

“Pink noise is characterized by a spectral density inversely proportional to frequency; it is a signal with random values but low amplitude for high frequencies. It is also used to analyze speaker behavior, stereos, etc. and is produced between 20 Hz and 20 kHz,” said Sergio Martínez and Valeria Villegas, the student’s creators of the prototype.

 

They explained that this noise as a learning method tries to heighten the conscious to other states which alters the Beta and Alfa brain waves increasing their conscious degree. “In other words, pink noise helps change the status of the brain by broadcasting a frequency of determined wavelength; The person hearing the noise feels its effects on the body,” they said.

 

Currently there are no devices using biofeedback to help memorization and support brain wave processing.

 

For education

 

Research prior to biosensor design helped understand there are college and high school students with foreign language learning issues or even in correctly using their own native language. “An analysis from a local magazine (Dinero) shows that 37.8% of the students in Colombia have basic foreign language level. In Colombia the leading language is English and 5.5% have an intermediate level,” they said.

 

Being an electronic device the biosensor does not have an environmental or ecological impact. The scope where it will have a greater impact will be in the social area, implementing it as a work tool for people who want to learn a foreign language without age restraint, optimize study time and improve memorization.

 

“Taking into account that the biosensor may have a negative impact on people because it could create certain dependency, we suggest limiting the amount of hours a in a day or week according to the hour intensity people want to devote to studying a language,” they added.

 

Lastly the circuit was designed using simulators such as Isis, Ares and Proteus, afterwards they printed it onto a copper plate to make a circuit board and assemble the prototype.