Every person will experience a decline in their memory and cognitive function as they grow older. The weakening of the various mechanisms in the brain affects the person’s ability to remember, process information, and perform various actions with the quality and efficiency he performed in the past. Alongside this fact, today there is the understanding and technological ability that can improve and improve the individuals quality of life.
The memory training software
Effectivate has developed software to improve memory which is dedicated to training and strengthening cognitive abilities for the 55+ age group. The software was developed in collaboration with brain researchers and neuropsychologists, emphasizing the training of a variety of cognitive abilities, the accessibility of the software to the target audience, and the personal adjustment of the training to each user. The software does not require special installation and in fact, you can train anywhere there is internet. You can enter the software by searching for “Effectivate” in the search engine, and on the website on the upper left side of the toolbar, you can enter the training by clicking on the “Enter the training” button.
The software includes 25 games that work on different cognitive abilities. Each training consists of several different games, and at the beginning of each game, there is an explanation about the game and what cognitive ability it trains. After the explanation, a short experience with the game is possible, so that the user can make sure that he understands the rules of the game correctly before he plays and earns points in training.
The software, unlike other memory games, incorporates AI, to provide a continuous challenge, which varies according to the user’s abilities. After several trainings, the software identifies the challenges experienced by the user, and adjusts the level that will be difficult for him, but at a possible level of execution. Thus, little by little, the user manages to improve his performance in the various games, experience a challenge in a prolonged manner, and strengthen his cognitive abilities.
Trains not only the memory
The cognitive abilities that the software trains are divided into three main categories; Memory and information processing exercises, attention exercises, and memory strategy exercises. The main purpose of the software is to strengthen the cognitive abilities related to memory function, but in addition to them, there are other cognitive abilities that the software works on; Executive attention, spatial attention, cognitive flexibility, response delay, working memory, information processing, connectivity, semantic memory, focus of attention, categorization, face recognition, name retrieval and creation of a road story.
Each day the user can complete a workout consisting of several games. In addition, he can choose the length of the training according to the time available to him; Light training – 16 minutes, average training – 21 minutes, or challenging training lasting about 27 minutes. If the user has completed the daily training and wants to continue practicing, he can perform a single game practice. The repetitions for individual games are not limited, so in fact, the user can create another “daily workout” in addition to the workout they performed.
Enrichment and training videos
In addition to the cognitive training available in the software, a complete layer is added that supports and optimizes the user’s learning process. The goal is that each user will be able to easily incorporate new habits into their daily routine, which will help them strengthen their memory. Throughout the workout, instructional videos are interwoven into the software that teach different memory strategies by Shayan Guinness in memory of Eran Katz, this is so that the trainee can go through the exercises successfully and learn different techniques that he can practice and apply later in the day.
Since there are different ways that directly and indirectly affect brain activity and memory, Effectivate takes care of enrichment content and lectures by the best experts for its customers. The lectures deal with topics such as sleep, nutrition, meditation, the relationship between them and brain function, and more. The assumption behind the many and varied exposure of enriching contents to customers that affect memory function is that when a person understands how things work and affect each other, it helps him to be more engaged in the process and implement some of the ways in his life.
In addition to the lectures, there are enriching audiobooks in the software that deal with the brain, memory, and various techniques that help to remember easily. The software also includes podcasts dealing with the theory of brain plasticity. In the various chapters, neuropsychologists and neuroscientists reveal to the listeners the cognitive processes that occur naturally with age, why visual illusions are created, how cognitive rehabilitation is carried out, and more.
Effectivate believes in training and educating the user. The purpose of the software games is to train the cognitive abilities of each user. But, at the same time as training, there are a variety of enrichment materials found in the software that help in learning the science behind the brain. It is very important to teach memory strategies and to implement various daily actions that can improve the way things, faces and events are remembered. Because of the understanding of the important value of learning along with training, the software also includes courses that explain how you can learn each language, and which tools and methods you can use to learn a language easily. Another course provides tools that help to understand and apply how to improve concentration abilities.
At Effectivate, we understand the impact of various factors on the functioning of the brain and memory, therefore, every week there are also sports classes as part of Body&Mind (yoga and pilates classes). Since physical training has a direct and indirect effect on brain function, it is also integrated into the variety of content that each user receives. For the convenience of customers, the classes take place in the morning and are broadcast again on another day at noon. Thus, customers who cannot exercise in the morning, get the option of incorporating a yoga or pilates workout into their daily routine at noon.
Besides the yoga and pilates classes, the company’s customers enjoy a benefits club that gives them various discounts. The companies chosen to cooperate with Effectivate are companies related to the fields of health, sports, pharmaceuticals, and leisure, to give customers motivation to adopt and train a healthier and more active lifestyle.
It is important to note that since it is a digital interface, there is a technical support and customer service team available from Sunday to Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Effectivate believes that service is above all, and the experience of each and every one of them is also largely influenced by the service they will receive if they encounter one or another technical problem.
Questions and answers about our software
- How does Effectivate’s cognitive training software adapt itself to the user?
A: The software adapts itself to the user with the help of a smart algorithm that adjusts the challenge levels in real time, so that the performance is sufficiently challenging but without being too frustrating or too easy. Each exercise can progress across several axes, or several parameters, where each parameter affects the challenge in a different way. For example, one parameter can be the exposure time, another parameter can be the amount of items, and another parameter can be the degree of similarity between them. Each exercise has several parameters, and each has its own adjustment mechanism. The adjustment mechanism also works while performing the training in real time, depending on the performance, and also between training sessions. The adjustment occurs throughout the training time, and it takes about 5 to 8 training sessions until the system is calibrated.
- Is the game user friendly and easy to navigate?
A: The development of Effectivate’s system was done with the support of design experts (UI/UX) in order to produce an adaptible, accessible and easy-to-use platform, with optimal adaptation to the target audience.
- Can I track my progress and results with Effectivate?
A: The results of all the training you performed are documented on the “My Results” page. On this page you can switch between different dates and even view the full report, which presents a detailed analysis of the training results.
A list of the cognitive abilities trained in the current training will appear on the full report page. For each cognitive ability, an index is presented that weighs the percentage of success (how accurate I was in the answers), the speed of execution (how many clicks I managed) and the level of difficulty of the stage (the number of items, the duration of their presentation, etc.), where the accumulated training history is also taken into account. There is no maximum score for this measure. The more accurately and quickly you answer, the higher the index score will be. The index is calculated separately for each ability you trained, and includes a calculation that combines together the performance in all the different exercises that worked on that ability in training. Therefore, the changes you will see from training to training are also related to the composition of the exercises you received.
- How often should I use the software to see results?
A: We recommend working out with Effectivate at least 3 times a week. Studies have found that the average person needs to accumulate at least 60 minutes of exercise per week to produce long-lasting brain changes. Every day you can do only one workout in order not to reach exhaustion, and also to allow the new information we have acquired to pass into long-term memory (a process called consolidation). If you want, you can also train 7 times a week. In addition to the daily training, you can also train in the individual exercises, which are opened after the daily training.
