LIGHT THE COMPLETE SPECTRUM!

PLEASE NOTE: The XXX and the XXX are identical mind machines except for labeling and the color of the goggles that come standard with each unit. From here on out, all references to the XXX can be inferred for the XXX system.

To dispense the pulsing stimuli, TONES generated by a mind machine are administered to the auditory canal via headphones. Light Emitting Diodes (LED) or incandescent bulbs mounted on the inside lenses of Oakley style sunglasses deliver the photons to the cornea-lens-retina-optic nerve-optic chiasma-optic tract-lateral geniculate nucleus-whose fibers carry the information through the internal capsule and the corona radiata to the primary visual cortex in the banks of the calcarine sulcus which is part of the occipital lobe of the human brain. Whew! The bulbs consist of basically two varieties. White incandescent bulbs are used in the products made by XXX and various colored LEDs are used in every other manufacturers glasses. So the first question that arises is which is better and why?
The research literature is very clear on which colors are the most entraining, stimulating, annoying, and which are the most relaxing. However, the literature is vague concerning the different characteristics of light produced by LED diodes versus incandescent bulbs. To study this dilemma, the glasses that come with the various mind machines were evaluated by 30 graduate and undergraduate students for the following CHARACTERISTICS:

·LIGHT COLOR
·LIGHT DISPERSION - Concentrated vs. Evenly Dispersed (due to Diode and/or Bulb Placement)
·LIGHT PATTERNS and VISUAL IMAGERY produced
·EYES OPEN VISUALIZATION
·COMFORT/FIT

For each category, ratings were based on a scale of 0 (worst) to 5 (best).

0 Unacceptable
1 Poor
2 Below Average
3 Average
4 Good
5 Excellent

Each CATEGORY was graded taking into consideration the following qualities and how important each quality was to the research subject's experience: RELAXATION & COMFORT, ENTERTAINMENT, STIMULATION, and ANNOYANCE. There was a tendency for the stimulating glasses to be more annoying and disturbing for some individuals when used at the same light intensity as the relaxing glasses. Similarly, rapid frequency changes and phase modulations inherent in some of the resident programs along with a narrow pulse width (i.e., XXX), while very entertaining for some research subjects, tended to disrupt the hypnagogic experience for others who described these characteristics as disturbing and unpleasant.

The fit of the various glasses were also graded using the same scale of 0 to 5. Sub-categories such as comfort and adjustability, the quality of construction including durability, materials, quality of workmanship, and any defects (e.g., asymmetry) were also considered in arriving at a test score decision.

Each research subject had the liberty to test all the mind machines with their respective glasses to her/his satisfaction before their scheduled grading session. All glasses were set to the same light intensity of approximately 1400 Lux at 0 cm from the light source except for XXX and XXX which could not reach this intensity. These units were set to their maximum brightness of 958 Lux. Immediately before testing, each research subject experienced each pair of glasses several times in sessions lasting over 20 minutes before specific GRADING was begun.

Research subjects were asked to notice how relaxing, entertaining, stimulating, and annoying each pair of glasses were in terms of color of light produced, light dispersion due to the positioning of the light source, light patterns and visual imagery produced, eyes open visualization, comfort and fit. Only after a research subject experienced each pair of goggles several times was specific questioning and grading begun. Not until a research subject was satisfied that s/he had sufficient time to experience a pair of glasses and accumulate enough data to come to a substantiated conclusion did the research director move on to the next question or next pair of glasses to be reviewed.

Individual comments were recorded on micro-cassette per the students own bursts of insight, comment, and opinion. Since individual tastes vary, the comments are unique. However, there are general trends.

Copyright 1996 Neuro-Technology Research. All rights are reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form.