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Re:Simple brain exercise can boost IQ by whacked_new on Monday April 28, 2008 @11:32PM (#176266)
Man, this thing is literally what I have been working on since last week. Now it's mentioned in NS I have to rush like there's no tomorrow.

The n-back test is basically a short term memory task. It is has been found to be a strong indicator of fluid intelligence because it is determined by attention and ability to manipulate and perform comparisons on objects stored in the STM buffer. 2-back test is fairly easy without distractions; 3-back becomes very taxing for the untrained. And it can definitely be improved.

Re:Simple brain exercise can boost IQ by alex_c on Monday April 28, 2008 @11:33PM (#176268)
To be honest, my motivation for posting it here was to see how long until someone starts working on a site based on it.

I have to admit, negative 7 days is sooner than I expected :p

Re:Simple brain exercise can boost IQ by whacked_new on Monday April 28, 2008 @11:37PM (#176271)
Actually I wrote my first n-back test close to two years ago, but for myself. The biggest reason why I wanted to make a web version is because of all these brain games popping up, made by people who don't know what they're talking about. This thing is for real.

I'm also working on subitization test variants, but that's much more familiar.

Re:Simple brain exercise can boost IQ by palish on Tuesday April 29, 2008 @07:44AM (#176468)
Since you've trained with n-back (for two years!):

Did it improve your fluid intelligence?

How has it affected you personally?

Re:Simple brain exercise can boost IQ by whacked_new on Wednesday April 30, 2008 @04:28PM (#177765)
Haha, back then I wasn't really into database applications and built it just to experience it. That's how I know that 2-back is fairly easy and 3-back isn't, but beyond that I can't answer you (yet).

I gave my dad a 3-back test, on which he did surprisingly well, and he said, "oh, that's easy, all you have to do is concentrate." Indeed, a big portion of it is attention.

Re:Simple brain exercise can boost IQ by falsestprophet on Tuesday April 29, 2008 @01:57AM (#176359)
I started sketching the data structures and the user interface as soon as I saw it on reddit a few hours ago.

But, I'm pretty glad someone else is already working on it. I have finals this week.

Re:Simple brain exercise can boost IQ by bstadil on Tuesday April 29, 2008 @03:23AM (#176397)
I guess you will announce your beta here on YC once you have something. Very interested.
Re:Simple brain exercise can boost IQ by whacked_new on Friday May 02, 2008 @05:03PM (#179925)
A simple n-back variant is live as of this morning but my submission didn't last long... I'm replying to all the responses in this thread. Again, it's a simple implementation, but FYI, http://cognitivefun.net/test/4
Re:Simple brain exercise can boost IQ by spydez on Tuesday April 29, 2008 @09:54AM (#176533)
What did you do to combat the effect of that "dull jobs numb the mind" study that was on here last week? (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7358863.stm)

I don't think I could stay interested in your n-back test for a whole 20 minutes at a time...

Re:Simple brain exercise can boost IQ by whacked_new on Wednesday April 30, 2008 @04:33PM (#177768)
Good point. I also don't think anybody would play brain games for very long at a time. But then, such apps are highly motivation-dependent. There is a thing about learning rate and conscious effort, which is a much more difficult problem.
Re:Simple brain exercise can boost IQ by cousin_it on Tuesday April 29, 2008 @02:20AM (#176374)
Tell us when you're done? And do you need help with coding?
Re:Simple brain exercise can boost IQ by whacked_new on Friday May 02, 2008 @05:06PM (#179929)
As in my other reply, I'm not going to be quite "done" but a simple, working n-back test is here: http://cognitivefun.net/test/4
Re:Simple brain exercise can boost IQ by whacked_new on Wednesday April 30, 2008 @04:31PM (#177767)
Won't be "done" in a while, because it's part of a larger work in progress, but I should be able to show something soon. I just started learning ActionScript, but cogsci programs aren't hard to write... but who knows, I look forward to criticism, which I expect much.
Re:Simple brain exercise can boost IQ by r7000 on Tuesday April 29, 2008 @11:39AM (#176632)
I want to log on now!
Re:Simple brain exercise can boost IQ by whacked_new on Friday May 02, 2008 @05:05PM (#179926)
FYI (or, FY fun) I uploaded a simple n-back test here http://cognitivefun.net/test/4

Submitted to HN but it didn't last and I don't want to spam :)

Re:Simple brain exercise can boost IQ by gojomo on Tuesday April 29, 2008 @01:49AM (#176355)
Can't wait to try it! Get cracking! :)
Re:Simple brain exercise can boost IQ by whacked_new on Friday May 02, 2008 @05:08PM (#179931)
Hey thanks, it's probably real easy for you to implement, but if you don't feel like writing your own, here's the one I was working on: http://cognitivefun.net/test/4

I submitted it here but it didn't last and I don't want to spam :)

Re:Simple brain exercise can boost IQ by mroman on Tuesday April 29, 2008 @04:59AM (#176423)
I look forward to trying it out!
Re:Simple brain exercise can boost IQ by whacked_new on Friday May 02, 2008 @05:02PM (#179923)
Thanks, I submitted earlier today but it didn't make FP. See this thread if you're interested: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=179580