Our Project           

  We are designing a portable device based on electroencephalography (EEG) to aid students in studying effectively. 

Our Motivation           

        As students, we are rarely able to study under ideal conditions. External distractions, in the form of external distractions like televisions or noisy neighbors, and internal disturbances, such as intrusive thoughts about an impending exam, interfere with the proper focus required for effective study. Unfortunately, whether out of ignorance or the constraints of limited study time, students often choose to study in less-than optimal environments and mental states.           

          An extensive body of research exists suggesting that unfocused study results in poor learning, not only by interfering with the learning process at the time of study but also by hampering the brain’s ability to retain and recall information later. This one-two punch of poor acquisition and poor retention of information makes unfocused study more than a less efficient learning method, but a real hindrance to students’ ability to assimilate necessary knowledge.

      With the well-studied negative effects of sub-optimal studying conditions in mind, students of all ages would benefit from tool to assist them with achieving the quiet, focused state of mind required for effective learning. Further, since students are often unaware of the internal obstacles silently plaguing their learning, they could benefit from a system that actively prevents them from attempting to study with an unfocused mental state. 

Our Goals

         We will design a system that interacts with students, alerting them when they have not achieved a mental state conducive to effective study and controlling their access to study material based on their level of focus. The system will achieve this by monitoring a student’s brain activity using EEG, translating in real time global patterns of neural activity (brain states) into a measure of focus. Information on the student’s level of focus will be provided via a computer display, providing the student with continuous feedback regarding his or her current level of attention (neurofeedback). Data on the student’s level of focus will also control aspects of a software application, allowing elements like an electronic textbook to appear and fade out based on the student’s preparedness to for studying.                            Over time, interacting with the program will teach students how to achieve the proper brain states for quiet, focused studying readily and quickly. As students learn to prepare themselves mentally for studying, they will be able to rely less on the program’s assistance and learn how to reach and maintain focus independently throughout studying, leaving them with a tangible and lasting benefit even when the system is not available.