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Thync is a consumer product. And that's exactly how we're reviewing it – much like we would a new iPhone or laptop. We share our experience and make our recommendations, but we aren't writing any research papers or conducting any double-blind studies on it (though the company does link to some of those on its website).
After using Thync every day for the last week and a half, I'm convinced that it's one of the most exciting new tech products of 2015. Like taking a hit of Mary Jane, it can push me from an anxious, over-thinking mood to one where I'm cool, collected and laid-back like a THC-infused Rastafarian. And if I'm feeling sluggish or unmotivated, Thync can also peel that layer away, like the sun burning a morning fog off of my consciousness.
I heard about the brain-mod crowd a couple years ago at the New York Maker's Faire. A team from DARPA gave a talk on an electro-stimulation cap they said was meant to fight Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in veterans. This seems to follow. Has anyone from Soylent experimented with trans-cranial electro-stimulation?
(Score: 5, Informative) by hemocyanin on Thursday July 30 2015, @01:24AM
For a very short time at least. I didn't really notice anything but maybe I didn't give it enough testing, or have a good placement, or whatever.
Anyway, I became interested in this some time ago when I listened to this Radio Lab segment about and by a reporter who went to a DARPA lab and got to try out their equipment. She did way better on a sniper program with tcds, but what got me really interested was when at the end of the segment, she said it immediately relieved her intense anxiety and inner critical voice -- I've got that shit and so it made me instantly interested. Just today I was thinking of digging it up and giving it another go.
Anyway, this is the radio lab segment: http://www.radiolab.org/story/9-volt-nirvana/ [radiolab.org]
This is the one I built: https://speakwisdom.wordpress.com/2013/02/10/user-built-tdcs-research-device/ [wordpress.com]
Some montage sites, who knows how valid:
http://tdcsplacements.com/ [tdcsplacements.com]
http://wiki.neuroelectrics.com/index.php/Montages_for_tCS [neuroelectrics.com]
(Score: 2) by hemocyanin on Thursday July 30 2015, @01:36AM
The part that sparked my interest starts at 19:00
(Score: 1) by patella.whack on Thursday July 30 2015, @03:13AM
Do you have any anecdotes from any other users? I read a bit about this a while back and it piqued my interest as well. From what I gathered, placement was very important of course, depending on which areas of your brain you'd like to zap, but proper conductivity seemed to be the easiest thing to get wrong. Secure, wet sponges, etc..
If remember right, some (non peer-reviewed?) experiments showed that with respect to memory, generally, there was a boost in learning. Rote motor movement learning was better. Might be helpful-- plug in your amp and zap your brain while you practice.
(Score: 2) by hemocyanin on Thursday July 30 2015, @05:48AM
There are at least two very impressive anecdotes in that radio lab story. I did get commercial electrodes -- basically a stainless mesh with a jack for the lead, a sponge, and a rubber thing that holds it together -- add a little saltwater. Anyway, I'm sure I got juice through it -- I could see that white flash mentioned in the RadioLab show, but I never did get the metal taste in my mouth.
Around the same time I had gotten a roku and it either came with or I bought Galaga. I wanted to see if it would improve my performance -- I don't think it did, or at least not much more than just practicing. I did get my high scores while using it, but then, by the time I got my high scores I had been playing quite a bit. Then I remembered why I had to give up video games (wrist problems) and the experimentation ended.
Maybe if I try it again, I'll just sit and listen to music.
(Score: 1) by patella.whack on Thursday July 30 2015, @06:04AM
On a personal note, Galaga is one of the best. Galaxian too. It's kinda like listening your favorite records you had as a teen. Nothing really comes close to what you get when you revisit those.
(Score: 2) by hemocyanin on Thursday July 30 2015, @06:43PM
It's each. Each electrode is a mesh, a sponge, and a holder. I have two, or six parts total.
(Score: 5, Interesting) by GungnirSniper on Thursday July 30 2015, @04:17AM
Let's say someone I know is a patient at McLean Hospital in Belmont MA for repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation. The results for my friend are amazing. His depression has lifted significantly and yes, that intensely critical inner voice is much quieter. Anxiety is somewhat better but not to the same degree of improvement. I'm told the staff there say between 50-70% of patients get good relief from depression, with an additional 20-40% getting some benefit. Their TMS program is a daily treatment for about 45 minutes, 20-34 visits depending on insurance. [mcleanhospital.org]
There's much research ongoing with brain stimulation, even studies to improving signing skills.
Tips for better submissions to help our site grow. [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 2, Insightful) by patella.whack on Thursday July 30 2015, @04:53AM
'singing' right?
It makes me wonder if these sorts of stimulations might enhance creative output in a person over the long term. If treatments can decrease depression and increase creativity at the same time, it's an interesting contradiction to the CW that depression or mental instability is conducive to creativity. In the future, if you're of the generation that wasn't genetically engineered by your parents to have exceptional characteristics, you can self-select desirable traits this way.
(Score: 2) by hemocyanin on Thursday July 30 2015, @05:52AM
That's the stereotype, but there's another side where instead of being creative, a person gets so ridiculously hopeless they don't do anything.
(Score: 2) by hemocyanin on Thursday July 30 2015, @05:50AM
The duration of these treatments is interesting. When I was trying it out the max suggested duration was 15 or 20 minutes (can't recall which -- which is sort of amusing in this context).
(Score: 2) by hemocyanin on Thursday July 30 2015, @05:54AM
Oh I see -- it's magnetic. That's a different deal.
(Score: 1) by patella.whack on Thursday July 30 2015, @06:34AM
Transcranial magnetic stimulation [wikipedia.org]
vs.
Transcranial direct-current stimulation [wikipedia.org].
(Score: 2) by GungnirSniper on Thursday July 30 2015, @03:15PM
I'm told the actually treatment runs about 20 minutes, but the additional time is for helmet placement, notes, etc.
Tips for better submissions to help our site grow. [soylentnews.org]