Neurons, or brain cells, send signals causing electrical activity to different parts of the brain. This electrical activity is what researchers have named brainwaves. Different waves are associated with different mental states and can be stimulated to change a person’s state of mind. Brainwave entrainment is the practice of changing one’s brainwave pattern to a specific frequency by stimulus with the corresponding frequency to adjust mood and concentration levels. This article will discuss and explore the history of brainwave entrainment and the different techniques. 

In 1839 a man named Heinrich Wilhelm Dove noticed that if you play a different tone that blends naturally in each ear it creates a beat that is not actually there. Dove called these perceived beats “Binaural Beats”. When he discovered the beats, they were considered an oddity of the brain and nothing more. Research continued on the potential to use binaural beats as a diagnostic tool for finding auditory and general neurological problems but, because the brainwave wasn’t discovered yet, no one originally considered a side effect of these beats being mood and concentration enhancement.

Hans Berger discovered Alpha brainwaves in 1929 and researchers found the strength of brainwaves could be driven beyond normal frequency using flickering lights. This process is called “Photic Driving”. Less than twenty years later, in 1942, Dempsey and Morrison discovered that repetitive physical stimulation could also affect the brainwaves while in 1959 Dr. Chatrian noticed auditory entrainment in response to fifteen clicks per second administered to the subject.

In the 60s, brainwave synchronization became a tool rather than a strange phenomenon of the brain and in 1973 Dr. Gerald Oster wrote an article for Scientific American called “Auditory Beats in the Brain”. In his paper, Dr. Oster discussed the differences between binaural and monaural beats. He noticed that monaural beats got extremely strong cortical responses (electrical activity in the brain that is responsible for synchronization) though binaural beats produced very little neural response. In conclusion, Dr. Oster stated that binaural beats could be useful in diagnosing neurological disorders while monaural beats would be useful in entrainment of the brainwaves.

Brainwave synchronization, also known as brainwave entrainment, is a way to change one’s state of mind by adjusting the brainwave activity. Stimulus can be aural , visual, a combination of the two or electromagnetic radiation. They are a form of frequency-following response which is a naturally occurring phenomenon where the human brain has a tendency to change its dominant EEG frequency to match the dominant external stimuli applied to it. This can cause changes and, in most cases, improvement in mental state such as increased intelligence, creativity, relaxation, pure energy, temporary pain relief, temporary stress reduction, sleeping disorders and meditation.

So what are these beats? And how do they work?

Binaural beats are the perceived rhythm produced when a slightly different tone is played into each ear simultaneously. For example, if one were to emit a tone of 400 hertz into the subject’s right ear, and another tone of 410 hertz in the subject’s left ear at the same time, the brain produces a beating rhythm of 10 hertz. These beats are only heard if the tones mix naturally and the frequency must be below 1500 hertz. This rhythm causes a number of things to happen in the brain, not the least of which being a change in the frequency at which neurons function. This change in frequency, depending on the brainwave it corresponds with, can change anything in the person’s behavior and mood from how they sleep to how hard they concentrate on tasks given to them.

Binaural beats became of interest to neurophysiologists who were researching hearing and ways to diagnose hearing problems. Dr. Oster, in writing his article, discovered that binaural beats are an excellent tool for cognitive and neurological research. He studied how animals locate sounds and their ability to pick out and focus on specific sounds in the forest of noise. He also discovered that patients with Parkinson’s Disease couldn’t hear binaural beats at first but, with treatment, they eventually could hear them again. And finally, Dr. Oster discovered there was a difference in how men and women perceived the beats. Women have two peaks in perception which possibly coincide with different times in their cycle such as ovulation and menstruation.

Dr. Oster discovered that monaural beats have a higher neurological response than binaural beats do, which makes them better for brainwave synchronization. However, monaural beats, while considered better for entrainment than binaural beats, aren’t used that frequently. The two tones in monaural beats have to be at the exact same volume to work whereas the tones in binaural beats will have the same intensity regardless the amplitude. This makes binaural beats a better choice for someone with hearing loss in one or both ears. Though the tone is heard more quietly, the frequencies are still perceived and the desired result achieved.

Some people find the tones and the beats effective but annoying. With binaural beats, you can mask the tones with white or pink noise. This does not decrease the effectiveness. With monaural beats, however, masking the tones eliminates the perception of beating and does away with the frequency-following response.

Binaural beats are believed to originate in the superior olivary nucleus, a part of the brain stem that responds to input from both ears and makes it possible for animals and humans alike to locate sources of sound and track moving sounds. However, researchers began to notice that these sounds influenced the patient’s brain in ways other than just auditory. When the perceived beat frequency corresponds to delta, theta, alpha, beta or gamma brainwave frequencies, it becomes possible to train the brainwaves to a higher or lower frequency which results in a change in mood or concentration level. This change depends on which wave the frequency is closest to.

In deciding which state of mind you’re trying to alter, you must first know which waves affect each mood. Gamma waves are associated with higher mental activity, including perception, problem solving, fear and consciousness and are perceived at frequencies greater than 40 hertz. Beta waves are usually higher in active people. They are related to busy or anxious thinking, active concentration, arousal and cognition. They are usually at a frequency between 13 and 40 hertz. Alpha waves are correlated with relaxation while awake as well as pre-sleep and pre-waking drowsiness and are measured between 7 and 13 hertz. Theta waves usually control dreams, deep meditation and REM sleep and are perceived between four and seven hertz. Delta waves are associated with deep, dreamless sleep and loss of body awareness and are measured at less than four hertz.

A third method of brainwave entrainment was discovered and studied beginning around 1981 by Arturo Manns. Before this method was discovered, most studies were done on light stimulus rather than auditory. The method was found to be more effective than both binaural and monaural beats and is comprised of a series of evenly spaced tones. It does not require the use of headphones and falls under the category of brainwave entrainment rather than cortical evoked response. This method is known as “Isochronic Tones” or “Isochronic Beats”.

Isochronic tones have been used to treat TMJ and insomnia, among other things. Dentists have found that isochronic beats can be used to prevent a patient from getting TMJ during dental procedures also.

Isochronic tones also have their own shortcomings. Both tones must be the same volume and the volume must be loud enough to detect the difference in tone. But because one can use them without headphones they are found to be easier and more effective.

There are new technologies combining isochronic beats with photic stimulation. This is known as audio-video entrainment. It appears to be more effective because there is more than one source of stimulation to the brain.

In the 80s, Dr. Norman Shealy and Dr. Glen Solomon researched entrainment for headache relief, serotonin and HGH release as well as relaxation and found it to be effective. In 1980 Tsuyoshi Inouye and associates at the Department of Neuropsychiatry at Osaka University Medical School in Japan found photic stimulation produced “cerebral synchronization” in more than five thousand patients. In 1981, Michael Hutchison wrote a book called MegaBrain outlining the possible uses of brainwave entrainment while Arturo Manns published a study showing the effectiveness of isochronic tones which was later confirmed by David Siever.

During the 90s Dr. Russell and Dr. Carter studied the potential use of brainwave entrainment with Attention Deficit Disorder and other learning disorders. They researched its effectiveness on PMS, chronic pain, chronic fatigue, depression and hypertension.

Today there are machines, like the Dream Machine, and computer programs, such as SBaGen, that allow you to build your own entrainment sequence based on what you feel needs to be changed in your own brain. By listening to the beats it’s possible to change your state of mind completely from making it easier for you to concentrate at work to allowing you to calm yourself in periods of high stress. In short, brainwave entrainment can give you a better outlook on life.

Oh… Sorry.  With a brand spankin’ new sex toy sitting on my desk, I get sort of distracted.

What am I talking about? That’s another tale for another time.  For now, we’re talking about Stumble.  Or, rather, what Stumble showed me today.

So Stumble dropped me on Mail Online at an article about the end of a design contest held by Electrolux.  I wasn’t satisfied with the little bit of information provided and went hunting for the rest.  On my hunt, I found Electrolux’s really neat Design Lab website and information on a contest Electrolux held offering grad and undergrad students into industrial design the opportunity to design a gadget they think will be useful in the future.

I’m really starting to worry about our dependency on technology.

M’s been yammering about it for ages and I just sort of blow it off.  I mean, of course we’re dependent on technology.  It’s the way things are these days.  Every other day there’s some new gadget to make our lives easier.  Something else to give us more free time to raise hell and destroy each other more efficiently.

Yes, I am that cynical.  What’s your point?

But these innovative ideas the students from all over the world came up with really take the cake.  I mean, on the one hand, they’re sort of green so they’re pretty cool, right? On the other hand, some of them really foster laziness and that’s kinda… not cool.  But don’t take it from me.  See for yourself.

Information on the contest from Electrolux’s Design Lab: 

This blue thing that looks sort of like the top of a charcoal grill is called Cocoon and it’s a fish and meat grower.  You heard me correctly.  A fish and meat grower.

Designer Rickard Hederstierna took into consideration the rate at which our population is growing and our rapidly dwindling resources and designed a way for us to consume meat and fish, getting the nutrients we need from them, without eventually running out of the animals we harvest the meat from.

It’s pretty cool in theory.  It would take a few muscle cells and grow them into enough meat to feed your family.  This would mean we wouldn’t have to slaughter animals to eat meat anymore! Not that my conscience has ever really bothered me about that.  I mean, we are at the top of the food chain.  Right under bacteria and viruses.

Though I’m wondering how we would harvest the muscle cells.  And if PETA would have a problem with that, too.  I also wonder if vegetarians will start eating meat grown in this product.  Or at least leave us meat eaters alone.  I’ll take either.

That creepy, crawly with the plant springing up out of its head is a robotic greenhouse called Le Petit Prince.  Designer Martin Miklica was looking far into the future to days when we’re looking for a new planet to live on and he thought we’d all be lonely and depressed without plants and such on Mars.  So he designed a pet plant that would wander Mars’s surface with you and lend a silent ear to your woes.

But why just make it for Mars? Who wouldn’t want a pet plant following them around the house? That would be pretty awesome, if you ask me!

I figure since they’re looking to send it to Mars, though, that it’ll cost five bazillion dollars to make and even more to buy.  Which totally sucks.  Cause I bet these little robot plants would do wonders for teaching kids to respect their planet.  I mean, I’m sure it’ll teach them how to sustain life on Earth once their elders destroy it for them!

The wall-hanging dishwasher, called Bifoliate, is my absolute favorite.  No, really.  I’m not being sarcastic.  I want.  Cause I would love to have a dishwasher.  But there’s no room in our apartment for anything else.  It sucks, dude.  This dishwasher would make me so friggin happy.

I’m not sure how I feel about the whole only having one door thing.  I mean, I’d rather be able to run both sides at once.  And I don’t really want people looking at my everyday dishes, clean or dirty, unless they’re eating off them.  That’s why I store them in a closed cabinet rather than hanging on the wall.

And please tell me why we haven’t thought of this sooner? There are plenty of minuscule apartments all over the ghetto that could totally use a wall-hanging dishwasher.  Not to mention rich frat boys.  Who’d do their own dishes with this neat new invention until the novelty wore off.  So once or twice.

Let’s get on it, Electrolux! Help out ghetto housewives and rich frat boys everywhere! I’m probably the only ghetto wife whose husband isn’t selling drugs (Damn Mormon-raised white boys and their morals!) so I can’t afford it.  But I’m sure the rest of ‘em can!

Next we’ve got bat balls! At least, that’s what they look like.  But what they are is Water Catchers that catch, filter and dispense chilled rain water while in flight.

That’s right, ladies and gentlemen.  Your bat ball will fly to you and pour you a nice glass of filtered rain water.  Cool, huh? Totally.  Cause that ten step trip to the sink was killing me.  For serious.  And having to actually reach out my hand to turn off the sink? Yeah, that’s getting kind of old.

On the real, though, this design is pretty cool.  Not only would the bat balls collect water, but they’ll program themselves to meet your own nutritional needs, which would be determined by an on board hand scanner, and the material can turn translucent.  Neat, right?

This thing that looks like a refrigerator? It is a refrigerator.  But wait.  This neat over-sized gadget does more than just chill your food.

It’s called the Teleport Fridge and it would teleport food from all over the world to your kitchen at the press of a button.  Say goodbye to produce that’s been handled by everyone and their brother and transported hours in a truck to your supermarket.  Forget about two hour shopping trips, crowded box stores, annoying shoppers and mile long lines.  Say hello to never having to leave your home again (and being known as the smelly cat lady who only opens her door to check the mail).

Although, I could teleport some passion fruit straight from the tribe that M stayed with when he went to Africa as a kid.  Then I could make him fresh passion fruit juice just like when he was a boy.  I’d have an exact replica of our house fridge made with the teleport feature as a surprise and teleport a buttload of passion fruit from Zaire (Is it still called Zaire? I really ought to pay more attention to the countries that aren’t a threat to us.  But then, that’s true of most Americans.).  Then he’d come home and I’d hand him a glass of fresh-squeezed passion fruit juice.  Probably processed by one of my other nifty gadgets.

This next is also something we should hand out freely to ghetto-dwellers everywhere.  It’s a wall-hanging steamer and cleaner for clothes called Renew.  In seconds, it cleans and irons a garment at a time while you pull it through.  And, like the wall-hanging dishwasher, it would be perfect for my minuscule apartment.  I mean, eventually you gotta stop throwing your clothes in the dryer with a dryer sheet and wash them, right?

Okay, so we take our clothes to the laundry mat.  But can you imagine climbing out of bed, grabbing your favorite shirt you’ve worn five hundred times in the last three months and just… running it through a rack on your wall?

No more last minute washing (and praying it dries in time) of the perfect skirt for your hot date.  No more waking up with fifteen minutes to get ready and run out the door and realizing you have no clean shirts.  No more M getting up and realizing I washed everything but underwear and having to make up an excuse for being late.

What? I never claimed to be a perfect housewife!

Once again, an excellent invention for ghetto housewives and rich frat boys.  What’s taking you so long, Electrolux?

Next up, we have a food printer.  You heard me right.  A food printer.  This Jetsons-looking thing is called Moléculaire and it would use food particles to print 3D foods like cakes and sweets.

How would it work?  You’d place a plate under the machine and a blister pack of food particles inside and, at the press of a button, layer by layer, this printer will build 3D, intricately designed bits of food.  It’s perfect for any dinner party.  Designer Nico Kläber envisions users creating their own software and ingredients and surfing the internet for shared recipes.

So here’s my thing.  Would we be marketing this to rich folks? Cause, you know, they don’t really need it.  Except for a conversation piece.  I mean, you don’t really think rich people prepare the food for their dinner parties, do you? If so, there’d be no such thing as caterers.

So it’s another interesting product we’d have to figure out how to make cheaply.  Cause only ghetto housewives who can’t afford a caterer but are married to men in Corporate America (namely, me) will need this gadget.  And only when they gain enough confidence to invite their Corporate America husband’s Corporate America bosses to their meager table.  And even then it would only be to convince the Corporate America bosses that they can afford a caterer or have the skills to cater their own dinner party.  Cause, especially in Corporate America, we’re convinced that the price tag on the clothes makes the person wearing them.

Last, but certainly not least, we have grass that cleans your clothes! No lie.  Check it out.  I’m not entirely sure how it’s supposed to work.  I suppose if I watched the accompanying video for the Naturewash, I might understand it better.  But I’ve run out of time for watching.  Something about passing negative ions through the grass and reacting with self-cleaning chemicals in clothing.

I really like the idea of this thing.  I have visions of laying on the grass, reading a book on a particularly sunny day in the clothes I wore the day before but want to wear again.  Catching some rays, gaining some knowledge and washing clothes all at the same time.  Wouldn’t that be awesome?

And! It sits up like a lawn recliner.  So you can lay flat or recline on this thing just as if you were catching some rays on the beach.  Way to figure out a way to get us outside while doing chores, man.  This is an all around awesome idea.

All in all, some pretty neat ideas, huh? And the winner is…

The Cocoon designed by Rickard Hederstierna! Congratulations, man.  I’d love to know what you’re planning on doing with 5000 Euro.  I’m sure we could talk over a spending plan that would benefit me more than you.  Call me! ~grin~

In second place was Water Catcher by Penghao Shan, winning 3000 Euro.  Third place was Renew by Louis Filosa, who obviously shares my thoughts on last minute date clothes.  And the People’s Choice Award went to Teleport Fridge by Dulyawat Wongnawa.

Congratulations to all the winners! Seriously, get in touch with me about that prize money.  You’ll thank me later.  Or maybe not.  But I’ll certainly thank you.  After I’ve spent all your money.

I’m not sure how I feel about this. While I used to nonstop cheat on my ex-fiance, the possibility that I would never crossed his mind. It always came as an utter shock to him when I sat him down to tell him that I’d retaliated against him again.

Of course, my ex-fiance also thought he was God’s gift to women. So how could he not have faith in my hopeless devotion?

Melen? Yeah, cheating is not an option. Just the thought makes me go all nauseous and want to hug him. But he worries about it sometimes.

So from my experience, it really depends on the guy.