ZME Science
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science

Home → Health → Mind & Brain

Novices learn faster after being zapped with expert brain wave patterns

In the movie, The Matrix, Neo masters over a dozen martial arts in a fraction of a second as the necessary skills are uploaded straight into his consciousness. Given our current understanding of how the brain works, this is quite preposterous in real life but you'll be surprised to hear some scientists have tested a similar 'skill upload' system with remarkable results.

Tibi PuiubyTibi Puiu
May 9, 2016
in Mind & Brain, Technology
A A
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterSubmit to Reddit

In the movie, The Matrix, Neo masters over a dozen martial arts in a fraction of a second as the necessary skills are uploaded straight into his consciousness. Given our current understanding of how the brain works, this is quite preposterous in real life but you’ll be surprised to hear some scientists have tested a similar ‘skill upload’ system with remarkable results.

Matrix

Using  transcranial direct current stimulation, or TDCS for short, a team from Malibu-based HRL Information and System Sciences Laboratory transmitted the recorded brain patterns of six commercial airline pilots to novices learning to fly.

We know that when an expert and a novice attempt to perform the same task, their brain patterns will be different. Ever wondered how an expert makes a task look easy? All that grace and finesse is the product of thousands of hours of practice, which in the brain are captured in ‘neural superhighways’ which aren’t yet formed in the novice brain.

The novices received the zaps that encoded the expert brain wave patterns through electroencephalography (EEG) caps. Over a period of four consecutive days, the 32 participants went through standard flight training procedures like taking off, altitude control, controlled descent and so on, all with their thinking caps on.

During these exercises, some had brain wave patterns fired through the EEG cap, while others received mock simulations.

At the end of the trial, those who actually went through real TDCS performed better than those who didn’t — 33 percent better, the scientists report in  Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. 

RelatedPosts

We’re one step closer to fully-functioning artificial blood vessels
The extracellular matrix, and how it keeps you in tip top shape
What causes Déjà vu — the unsettling feeling of familiarity in novel situations
New structure that keeps cells bound together discovered in human cells

Previously, researchers used similar neural modulation to enhance training for  concealed image detection, spatial and verbal working memories, language acquisition or motor skills development.  All reported improved performance in training.

Note that while TDCS improved training, it still required active implication from behalf of the novices. In other words, there’s no knowledge transfer but a facilitation. It doesn’t seem like uploading martial arts brain wave patterns will make you into a Kung Fu master anytime soon, but the findings are still staggering considering this field is still in its infancy.

There are some critics that aren’t convinced, though. Science Alert has a roundup, noting sources that call this research “bogus”.

HRL Laboratories does R&D for the Boeing Company and General Motors, and have already filed a patent for their ‘brain-boosting’ interface, so the prospect of financial gain could have clouded the results, or their perception of the results.

Mark S. George, a professor of psychiatry, radiology, and neurosciences at the Medical University of South Carolina, and editor-in-chief of the science journalBrain Stimulation, told Gizmodo that the results are based on a “small sample study in vulnerable employees, performed by scientists with patents pending that will be influenced by the outcome”, adding that in the past, results from tDCS studies have failed to be replicated.

 

Tags: matrix

Share1TweetShare
Tibi Puiu

Tibi Puiu

Tibi is a science journalist and co-founder of ZME Science. He writes mainly about emerging tech, physics, climate, and space. In his spare time, Tibi likes to make weird music on his computer and groom felines. He has a B.Sc in mechanical engineering and an M.Sc in renewable energy systems.

Related Posts

Anatomy

The extracellular matrix, and how it keeps you in tip top shape

byAlexandru Micu
6 years ago
Biology

We’re one step closer to fully-functioning artificial blood vessels

byAlexandru Micu
6 years ago
Reticular adhesions.
Biology

New structure that keeps cells bound together discovered in human cells

byAlexandru Micu
7 years ago
deja-vu-matrix
Features

What causes Déjà vu — the unsettling feeling of familiarity in novel situations

byTibi Puiu
7 years ago

Recent news

Tennis May Add Nearly 10 Years to Your Life and Most People Are Ignoring It

July 4, 2025

Humans Have Been Reshaping Earth with Fire for at Least 50,000 Years

July 4, 2025

The Strangest Microbe Ever Found Straddles The Line Between Life and Non-Life

July 4, 2025
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Editorial Policy
  • Privacy Policy and Terms of Use
  • How we review products
  • Contact

© 2007-2025 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Science News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Space
  • Future
  • Features
    • Natural Sciences
    • Physics
      • Matter and Energy
      • Quantum Mechanics
      • Thermodynamics
    • Chemistry
      • Periodic Table
      • Applied Chemistry
      • Materials
      • Physical Chemistry
    • Biology
      • Anatomy
      • Biochemistry
      • Ecology
      • Genetics
      • Microbiology
      • Plants and Fungi
    • Geology and Paleontology
      • Planet Earth
      • Earth Dynamics
      • Rocks and Minerals
      • Volcanoes
      • Dinosaurs
      • Fossils
    • Animals
      • Mammals
      • Birds
      • Fish
      • Amphibians
      • Reptiles
      • Invertebrates
      • Pets
      • Conservation
      • Animal facts
    • Climate and Weather
      • Climate change
      • Weather and atmosphere
    • Health
      • Drugs
      • Diseases and Conditions
      • Human Body
      • Mind and Brain
      • Food and Nutrition
      • Wellness
    • History and Humanities
      • Anthropology
      • Archaeology
      • History
      • Economics
      • People
      • Sociology
    • Space & Astronomy
      • The Solar System
      • Sun
      • The Moon
      • Planets
      • Asteroids, meteors & comets
      • Astronomy
      • Astrophysics
      • Cosmology
      • Exoplanets & Alien Life
      • Spaceflight and Exploration
    • Technology
      • Computer Science & IT
      • Engineering
      • Inventions
      • Sustainability
      • Renewable Energy
      • Green Living
    • Culture
    • Resources
  • Videos
  • Reviews
  • About Us
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Editorial policy
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact

© 2007-2025 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.