SCIENCE
NeuroTrainer Research & Science Labs
We bring neuroscience out of the lab and into the locker room.
Developed in partnership with the National Science Foundation, NeuroTrainer combines neuroscience and virtual reality, effectively overriding the visual, auditory and proprioceptive systems. This creates a fully immersive experience customized for optimal peak performance.

DEVELOPED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION

Vision and action guide focus.
NeuroTrainer’s visual tasks improve hand-eye coordination, decision making speed, and the ability to track objects in an expanded field of view. It stimulates both sides of the brain, creating an environment of agitation, reward and focus that naturally releases a sequence of neurochemicals to optimize for long-term learning and skill acquisition.
- VISION
- FOCUS
- DECISION MAKING
Athletic & Human Performance Research
3D-Multiple Object Tracking training task improves passing decision-making accuracy in soccer players
The Relationship Between Expertise and Visual Search Strategy in a Racquet Sport
Executive Functions Predict the Success of Top-Soccer Players
Sensorimotor abilities predict onfeld performance in professional baseball
How do we learn to ‘‘kill” in volleyball?: The role of working memory capacity and expertise in volleyball motor learning
Athletics EvidenceHow the brain contributes to sports performance SEE THE GAMEPeripheral Vision / Blind Spots / Visual SearchPeripheral vision makes up 97% of our visual field. Athletes must effectively see across a very large visual field without blind spots. NHL player Justin Florek completed 4 weeks of the NeuroTrainer program and became 44% quicker in his visual search ability to find a target in a cluttered environment. These studies corroborate this benefit. There is now high-quality evidence that a task like NeuroTrainer is capable of altering a range of visual skills. Green, S. & Bavelier, D. (2003). Action video game modifies visual selective attention. Nature, 423, 534-537. Faubert, J. (2013). Professional Athletes have extraordinary skills for rapidly learning complex and neutral dynamic visual scenes. Scientific Reports, 3: 1154. Deveau, J., Ozer, D., & Seitz, A. (2014). Improved vision and on-field performance in baseball through perceptual learning., Current Biology 24(4): R146-147. Fiorentini, A. & Berardi, N. Perceptual learning specific for orientation and spatial frequency. Nature 287, 43–44 (1980). Poggio, T., Fahle, M. & Edelman, S. Fast perceptual learning in visual hyperacuity. Science 256, 1018–1021 (1992). Ahissar, M. & Hochstein, S. The spread of attention and learning in feature search: effects of target distribution and task difficulty. Vision Res. 40, 1349–1364 (2000). READ AND RECOGNIZEShort-Term Visual Memory / Decision-MakingQuick, accurate choices are perhaps the hallmark ability of a good athlete. The mental building blocks of this ability are specific “muscle groups” in the brain. Elite athletes are highly practiced, which frees up mental resources for better anticipation and decision making during game play. But even the best players make errors during game play because the mental demands become too much. The solution is to make the mental processes highly practiced and automated as well. A recent study with Division I Hockey players showed NeuroTrainer improved speeded decision making. Eight players from the Northern Michigan University Hockey Team trained with NeuroTrainer three times a week for 2 weeks. A before and after measurement of speeded decision making showed an average improvement of 15 milliseconds. Haywood, K., (1984). Use of the image-retina and eye-head movement visual systems during coincidence, anticipation, performance. Journal of Sports Sciences, 2(2), 139 – 144.37431. Hodges, N.J., Smeeton, N.J., Ward, P., Williams, A.M., (2005). The relative effectiveness of various instructional approaches in developing anticipatory skill. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied, 11 (2), 98 – 110. Mori, S., Ohtani, Y., Imanaka, K. (2002). Reaction times and anticipatory skills of karate athletes. Human Movement Science, 21 (2), 213 – 230. ANTICIPATE AND ACTVisual Imagery / Multi-TaskingAlso called “coordination”, this is the ability to pre-process and then co-process information. Multi-tasking is fundamental to athletic performance. In fact, professional athletes have superior multi-tasking abilities. Elite athletes need less anticipatory time, which increases time available to make decisive decisions. Haywood, K., (1984). Use of the image-retina and eye-head movement visual systems during coincidence, anticipation, performance. Journal of Sports Sciences, 2(2),139 – 144. Hodges, N.J., Smeeton, N.J., Ward, P., Williams, A.M. (2005). The relative effectiveness of various instructional approaches in developing anticipatory skill. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied, 11 (2), 98 – 110. Mori, S., Ohtani, Y., Imanaka, K. (2002). Reaction times and anticipatory skills of karate athletes. Human Movement Science, 21 (2), 213 – 230. The NeuroTrainer system demands multi-tasking on several neurocognitive tasks which challenge the prefrontal cortex to plan and organize cognitive and perceptual processes in order to be fast and efficient. Nyquist, J., Lappin, J., Zhang, R. & Tadin, D. (2016). Perceptual training yields rapid improvements in visually impaired youth. Scientific Reports 6, 37431. QUICKNESSReaction Time / Speed of ProcessingDid you know that reaction time is made of 3 processes? It requires visual processing, then information processing and finally a physical response. Two athletes with the same reaction time may have very different speed in each of the three components. BE IN THE MOMENTFocus / Mental EnduranceEvery function listed above requires mental resources. The athlete must be able to deploy mental attention to these abilities. NeuroTrainer exercises attentional capacity and mental endurance. These studies shows improvements from training tasks that use a subset of the NeuroTrainer technology. Parsons, B., Magill, T., Boucher, A., Zogbo, K., Scheffer, O., Beauregard, M., & Faubert, J. (2016). Enhancing cognitive function using perceptual-cognitive training. Clinical EEG and Neuroscience, 47(1), 37-47. Green, S. & Bavelier, D. (2003). Action video game modifies visual selective attention. Nature, 423, 534-537. Green, S. & Bavelier, D. (2006). Effect of Action video games on the spatial distribution of attention. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 32(6), 534-531465-1478. Parsons, B., Magill, T., Boucher, A., Zogbo, K., Scheffer, O., Beauregard, M., & Faubert, J. (2016). Enhancing cognitive function using perceptual-cognitive training. Clinical EEG and Neuroscience, 47(1), 37-47. Fast-paced attention (brain blinks)Much as your eye blinks, so does your brain. It is called an attentional blink by scientists. This study improved “brain blinks” using FPS video games, which have features in common with NeuroTrainer. Green, S. & Bavelier, D. (2003). Action video game modifies visual selective attention. Nature, 423, 534-537. Baseball-Specific ResearchThis study examined perceptual learning and task demands. Results showed improved vision, decreased strike-outs, and more runs. Deveau, J., Ozer, D., & Seitz, A. (2014). Improved vision and on-field performance in baseball through perceptual learning., Current Biology 24(4): R146-147. Soccer-Specific ResearchSkilled soccer players anticipate opponent movements and actions, and are superior to novices in pattern recall and strategic awareness in team sports. Williams, M.A. (2000). Perceptual skill in soccer: implications for talent identification and development. Journal of Sports Sciences, 18(9), 737–750 Elite soccer players are defined by their ability to process relevant perceptual cues and enhanced search strategies. Mann, D.T., Williams, A.M., Ward, P., & Janelle, C.M. (2007). Perceptual-cognitive expertise in sport: A meta-analysis. Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 29(4), 457–478. Playing experience is not enough to be a great athlete. Perceptual/cognitive skills matter. Vaeyens, R., Lenoir, M., Williams, A.M., Mazyn, L., & Philippaerts, R.M. (2007). The effects of task constraints on visual search behavior and decision-making skill in youth soccer players. Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 29(2), 147–169. Willams, M.A., Hodges, N.J., North, J.S., Barton, G. (2006). Perceiving patterns of play in dynamic sport tasks: investigating the essential information underlying skilled performance. Perception, 35(3), 317-32. Hockey-Specific ResearchEvidence suggests an athlete’s sports-related perceptual-cognitive expertise is a crucial element of top-level competitive sports. Faubert, J. (2013). Professional Athletes have extraordinary skills for rapidly learning complex and neutral dynamic visual scenes. Scientific Reports, 3: 1154 Perceptual-cognitive abilitiesPerceptual-cognitive abilities provide an athletic edge. Garland, D.J., & Barry, J.R. (1990). Sport expertise: The cognitive advantage. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 70(3), 1299–1314. The difference between elite and sub-elite athletes is less physiological and more mental. Ripoll, H. (1991). The understanding-acting process in sport: The relationship between semantic and sensorimotor visual function. International Journal of Sport Psychology,22, 221-243. Mann, D.T., Williams, A.M., Ward, P., Janelle, C.M. (2007). Perceptual-cognitive expertise in sport: a meta-analysis. Journal of Sport Exercise Psychology, 29(4), 457-78. Perception and Action ConnectionPerception and action are crucial for elite sports. Williams, M.A., Davids, K., & Williams, J. (Eds.). (1999). Visual perception and action in sport. London: Routledge.
The Science of NeuroTrainer’s TaskA key component of NeuroTrainer is multiple object tracking (MOT). MOT is an extremely effective way to exercise many components of the SEE-THINK-ACT continuum. This task requires users to track several independently moving targets while ignoring distractor objects. This task emulates the demands placed on vision, perception and attention during athletic game play. As you can see below, this task provides powerful activation of various brain regions. This image is from an fMRI study which demonstrates increased neural activity in both the parietal lobe (the crown of the head) and the occipital lobe / visual cortex (the back of the head) during an MOT task. Howe, P., Horowitz, T., Morocz, I., Wolfe, J., Livingstone, M. (2009). Using fMRI to distinguish components of the multiple object tracking task Journal of Vision. 2009;9(4):10. doi:10.1167/9.4.10 Jovicich, J. Peters, R. J. Koch, C. Braun, J. Chang, L. Ernst, T. (2001). Brain areas specific for attentional load in a motion-tracking task. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 13, 1048–1058. | |||||||||||
Vision EvidenceVisual FunctioningVision can be impaired for many reasons, but the brain has the ability to improve visual functioning regardless of many of these causes. Our published training study shows improvements in the functions that drive vision. These functions include the ability to find what we are looking for, wake up our dormant peripheral vision, detect motion better, and use strategies that more effectively process visual information. Our published study shows rapid improvements in only 3 weeks! Nyquist, J., Lappin, J., Zhang, R. & Tadin, D. (2016). Perceptual training yields rapid improvements in visually impaired youth. Scientific Reports 6, 37431 The brain’s role in visionPerception is much more than vision. Perception is where attention and vision meet. There is now high-quality evidence that a task like NeuroTrainer is capable of altering a range of visual skills. Green, S. & Bavelier, D. (2003). Action video game modifies visual selective attention. Nature, 423, 534-537. Fiorentini, A. & Berardi, N. Perceptual learning specific for orientation and spatial frequency. Nature 287, 43–44 (1980). Poggio, T., Fahle, M. & Edelman, S. Fast perceptual learning in visual hyperacuity. Science 256, 1018–1021 (1992). Ahissar, M. & Hochstein, S The spread of attention and learning in feature search: effects of target distribution and task difficulty. Vision Res. 40, 1349–1364 (2000). General Brain Training EvidenceFast AttentionMuch as your eye blinks, so does your brain. It is called an attentional blink by scientists. This study improved “brain blinks” using FPS video games, which have features in common with NeuroTrainer. Green, S. & Bavelier, D. (2003). Action video game modifies visual selective attention. Nature, 423, 534-537. Focus and distraction controlNeuroTrainer exercises attentional capacity and distraction control. These studies shows improvements from training tasks that use a subset of the NeuroTrainer technology. Green, S. & Bavelier, D. (2003). Action video game modifies visual selective attention. Nature, 423, 534-537. Green, S. & Bavelier, D. (2006). Effect of Action video games on the spatial distribution of attention. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 32(6), 534-531465-1478. Parsons, B., Magill, T., Boucher, A., Zogbo, K., Scheffer, O., Beauregard, M., & Faubert, J. (2016). Enhancing cognitive function using perceptual-cognitive training. Clinical EEG and Neuroscience, 47(1), 37-47. Situational awarenessPeripheral vision makes up 97% of our visual field. NeuroTrainer trains the brain to take the blinders off and make or “Spotlight” of Attention become a “Floodlight”. Several studies below show effects from training with FPS video games, which use components of NeuroTrainer. Nyquist, J., Lappin, J., Zhang, R. & Tadin, D. (2016). Perceptual training yields rapid improvements in visually impaired youth. Scientific Reports 6, 37431. Green, C.S., and Bavelier, D. (2007). Action-video-game experience alters the spatial resolution of vision. Psychol Sci 18, 88-94. Green, S. & Bavelier, D. (2006). Effect of Action video games on the spatial distribution of attention. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 32(6), 534-531465-1478. Green, S. & Bavelier, D. (2003). Action video game modifies visual selective attention. Nature, 423, 534-537. Crundall, D., & Underwood, G. (1998). Effects of experience and processing demands on visual information acquisition in drivers. Ergonomics 41:448–458. Quicker Decisions. Better DecisionsPractice frees up mental resources for better anticipation and speeded decision making. Practice of mental processes helps as well. Haywood, K., (1984). Use of the imageretina and eye-head movement visual systems during coincidence, anticipation, performance. Journal of Sports Sciences, 2(2), 139 – 144. Hodges, N.J., Smeeton, N.J., Ward, P., Williams, A.M., (2005). The relative effectiveness of various instructional approaches in developing anticipatory skill. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied, 11 (2), 98 – 110. Mori, S., Ohtani, Y., Imanaka, K. (2002). Reaction times and anticipatory skills of karate athletes. Human Movement Science, 21 (2), 213 – 230. Multi-taskingMulti-tasking is fundamental to our daily life. The Neurotrainer system demands multi-tasking on several neurocognitive tasks which challenge the prefrontal cortex to plan and organize cognitive and perceptual processes in order to be fast and efficient. Nyquist, J., Lappin, J., Zhang, R. & Tadin, D. (2016). Perceptual training yields rapid improvements in visually impaired youth. Scientific Reports 6, 37431. |
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