marjorisabella: Strobe lighting goggles shown to improve short-term memory, all-night ravers feel validated

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Strobe lighting goggles shown to improve short-term memory, all-night ravers feel validated

Those goggles you see above aren't for stylish looks while playing dodgeball -- they're the keys to a potentially important discovery about short-term memory. Duke University's Institute for Brain Sciences found that subjects playing catch with goggles simulating strobe lights were noticeably better at memorizing information during tests, even a full day after playtime was over. It's not hard to see why: with a limited amount of time to see that incoming ball, participants had to more vividly remember brief scenes to stay on top of the game. We don't yet know if there's any kind of long-term boost, so don't get your hopes up that strobe lights are the shortcuts to permanent photographic memory. Still, the findings suggest that frequent nightclubbers might be on to something... or, at least, have a better idea of where they left their keys the morning after.

[Image credit: Les Todd, Duke Institute for Brain Sciences]

Filed under: Wearables, Science