The DMC Lab organised a series of fun events for students and the public in collaboration with the Mindtraining company. At the event, contestants from the audience can play a virtual Tug of War using the power of their mind. To play the game, the contestants wore a headband that registers their brain activity and sends these signals to a computer that converts them into commands such as "pull the rope". The stronger their ability to focus their attention, the easier it is to win the game.

The events raised awareness of this research in a fun way and at the same time raised donations for three charities: Age UK, NSPCC, and the People's Project. The events were free and took place over 6 consecutive weeks in the student bars of Birkbeck, Institute of Education, UCL, and University of London Union in November and December 2013.

How does it work?

The game makes use of neurofeedback, which is a procedure through which people can learn to control their brain activity. Although its use is mostly in the clinical setting to treat PTSD, ADHD, depression, chronic pain, among others, research has shown that neurofeedback training can enhance artistic performance in musicians and dancers and can improve mental abilities such as memory and attention in college students. Neuroscience has also revealed that during neurofeedback training, the brain makes new connections.

Here at the DMC Lab, we are interested in understanding the detailed processes that happen in the brain during training. If you want to take part in our studies, follow this link which will direct you to a page to sign up for future studies. Most of these studies require multiple sessions and we aim to find the most suitable schedule for you.

Introduction to Neuro-feedback from DMC_Lab on Vimeo.