Insurance company Allstate and brain fitness software developer Posit Science just announced (see press release Protecting Pennsylvania Drivers, One Brain at a Time) a very intelligent initiative:

Video exercises aid driving skills (Chicago Tribune)

-”Allstate, which called the Posit program “potentially the next big breakthrough in automobile safety,” said it expects its software exercises to reduce risky driving maneuvers by up to 40 percent and improve stopping distance by an average of 22 feet when traveling at 55 miles per hour.”

-”We’ll look to see whether over the next six to nine months there will be a reduction in” the number of accidents between the group participating in the video exercises and those sitting out, said Tom Warden, assistant vice president of Allstate’s research and planning center.

I am fortunate to interview Tom Warden, Assistant Vice President and Leader of Allstate’s Research and Planning Center, based in Menlo Park, California.

Alvaro Fernandez: Tom, thank you for your time. Can you please explain the context behind this new initiative that you just announced?

Tom Warden: Our research center is constantly looking for new ideas to improve the driving behavior of drivers of all ages. Recently we have paid extra emphasis on ways to improve the safety of older drivers.

Let me provide some background here. Allstate, as a company, has always been one of the pioneers in helping to introduce new safety measures. For example, we were among the pioneers in the 60s to advocate for mandatory use of seating belts, given research studies on the benefits for drivers and passengers alike. More recently, we helped lobby for wider adoption of airbags, an effective but expensive way of protection that only became mainstream when manufacturers were required to include them.

Let’s talk now about your agreement with Posit Science. What will happen over the next months?

The first thing we are doing is to conduct a research study to analyze the real-life impact of Posit Science InSight, a computer-based cognitive training program, on accident rates. We know that as drivers get older Read the rest of this entry »

Driving as Next Brain Fitness Application? 

Last month, at the MIT/ SmartSilvers event where we presented our Brain Fitness Market Report, we discussed what specific applications, beyond the current emphasis on healthy aging, might take computerized cognitive training to a new level.  

Assessing and improving driving skills would be a top candidate, given both the well-defined nature of the need and the appearance of programs with growing evidence (both scientific and real-world) behind.

The New York Times Asks… 

Along these lines, the New York Times just published this article: Are You a Good Driver? Here’s How to Find Out. A few quotes:

- “COULD a video game make you a better driver? More important, could computer software prevent teenagers from making fatal mistakes or even weed out older drivers whose debilities make them crash-prone?”

Read the rest of this entry »

Today we are fortunate to interview Dr. Jerri Edwards, an Associate Professor at University of South Florida’s School of Aging Studies and Co-Investigator of the influencial ACTIVE study. Dr. Edwards was trained by Dr. Karlene K. Ball, and her research is aimed toward discovering how cognitive abilities can be maintained and even enhanced with advancing age.

Main focus of research

Alvaro Fernandez: Please explain to our readers your main research areas

Jerri Edwards: I am particularly interested in how cognitive interventions may help older adults to avoid or at least delay functional difficulties and thereby maintain their independence longer. Much of my work has focused on the functional ability of driving including assessing driving fitness among older adults and remediation of cognitive decline that results in driving difficulties.

Some research questions that interest me include, how can we maintain healthier lives longer? How can training improve cognitive abilities, both to improve those abilities and also to slow-down, or delay, cognitive decline? The specific cognitive ability that I have studied the most is processing speed, which is one of the cognitive skills that decline early on as we age.

ACTIVE results

Can you explain what cognitive processing speed is, and why it is relevant to our daily lives?

Processing speed is mental quickness. Just like a computer with a 486 processor can do a lot of the same things as a computer with a Pentium 4 processor, but it takes much longer, our minds tend to slow down with age as compared to when we were younger. We can do the same tasks, but it takes more time. Quick speed of processing is important for Read the rest of this entry »

We usually spend more time in this blog talking about brain fitness science, programs and trends than talking about people. Today we are going to change that, since we have been receiving great feedback from a number of sources. While we still need to improve a lot, we can start to see the results of what we do in our “brain fitness center”. And we couldn’t be happier about the nomination this week of Dr. Elkhonon Goldberg and myself, as SharpBrains cofounders, for The Tech Museum Awards – Technology Benefiting Humanity, in the Health category.

I. Anonymous Feedback from an online survey of our online store customers

• 58% respondents are Very Satisfied, and 42% Satisfied, with the products and services they chose. I promise that there were more options (Dissatisfied, Very Dissatisfied)
• “As a trader, I really need to sustain attention for long periods. Your program (here) has been eye-opening and very helpful.”
• “I LOVE the program! It is fun, challenges me and gives me hope for improving in the areas where I have limitations. Staff support & educational information has been great. It is very important to be able to talk to someone about the questions or process problems that we experience…your member on-line site gives us the opportunity to get answers & needed support. Thanks for all you are doing. My husband and I love getting feedback about our progress…it is a very positive experience!”
• “Keep developing programs so when we finish doing the MindFit (here) program there will be another one to build upon the first! I am impressed at how well your programs are individualized. Good Job to all involved!”
• “Good, I enjoy the games (here) and I can tell a difference in my memory and overall awareness.”

II. Feedback about our Stress Management for Peak Performance workshop (here)

• Accenture: 46 percent of survey respondents Strongly Agreed that they “gained practical skills and knowledge they could start using immediately.” 69 percent Strongly Agreed Read the rest of this entry »