NeuroPlus, a startup developing brain-training technology to improve cognitive skills with video games, today announced that their state-of-the-art brain-sensing EEG headset met its $100,000 Kickstarter goal, and the company will begin shipping out units in December.
After proving the efficacy of the NeuroPlus video games and completing testing of the new EEG headset, the startup, based in Durham, N.C., has accepted pre-orders from nearly 400 individuals through Kickstarter.
The NeuroPlus system is designed to help users of all ages and abilities improve their attention and self-control, and NeuroPlus has understandably attracted intense interest and support from individuals with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Approximately 10% of children and 5% of adults have been diagnosed with ADHD, and spending on ADHD medications rose to an estimated $13 billion last year. October is ADHD Awareness Month.
“We are thrilled to be making evidence-based technology that can help people improve their focus and self-control,” NeuroPlus founder and CEO Jake Stauch said. “The enthusiasm from our Kickstarter pre-orders confirms the need for this kind of solution.”
Recent pilot study results on NeuroPlus showed showed that children with ADHD demonstrated greater focus and decreased hyperactivity and impulsivity after training on the NeuroPlus video games system.
The study, “Efficacy of a combined neurofeedback, biofeedback and go/no-go training intervention for ADHD: a randomized controlled trial,” was led by Dr. Sandeep Vaishnavi, a neuropsychiatrist at Duke University’s Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and director of the Neuropsychiatric Clinic at Carolina Partners in Mental Healthcare.
Sixty participants aged 8 to 13 years old with ADHD were enrolled in the study, and subjects were randomly assigned to either 30 minutes of NeuroPlus training 3 times per week or a treatment-as-usual control group that continued their existing treatment regimen.
After 10 weeks, statistically significant improvements were observed both from the Conners ADHD rating scale, completed by parents, and the Quotient ADHD System, which measures performance of children on tasks designed to test their attention and hyperactivity/impulsivity. These results were recently presented at the 6th World Congress on ADHD.
The brand-new NeuroPlus EEG headset features a flexible design and an adjustable band to allow for a comfortable fit, no matter the age or head size of the user. The adjustable EEG sensor positioned at the top of the head enables accurate data collection from brain regions important for the NeuroPlus applications.
The headset also contains an accelerometer and other sensors that measure a user’s body motion and muscle tension in calmness and self-control training exercises.
NeuroPlus offers a number of games including Axon, where players focus and remain as still as possible to help a dragon stay airborne and defend a town from such threats as marauding monsters. Heightened focus, as measured through the headset’s EEG sensor, will enable the dragon to fly faster. At the same time, the game monitors movements and muscle tension, so that if the player is too tense or fidgets too much, they will lose points or even lose control of the dragon.
The games also include cognitive training tasks in which users must choose to react to or ignore certain stimuli on screen. These in-game decisions help users to hone their impulse-control skills.
The NeuroPlus headset is still available on Kickstarter starting at $269 until October 27. The headset and software are compatible with iOS and Android devices with Bluetooth 4.0 (Bluetooth Low Energy) support. To find out more, visit the campaign page.
About NeuroPlus
NeuroPlus Inc. develops brain-sensing technology and training applications to improve cognitive performance in children and adults. Founded by leading neuroscientists and game designers in 2015, NeuroPlus is committing to creating programs that improve mental well-being while engaging and entertaining customers. NeuroPlus products are not intended to treat or diagnose any disease. To find out more, visit www.neuro.plus.
Release source: PRweb.com
