Researchers in New Mexico claim that a faint electric massage to the brain improved the performances of volunteers playing the DARPA-sponsored war simulator DARWARS Ambush! The electric current was produced by a device running on a 9-volt battery and delivered to the volunteers via a moistened sponge applied to their right temple.
According to the authors of the study, those volunteers who received a more significant electrical current performed twice as well as those who did not. However, it appears that those enjoying the performance boost were not entirely aware of it. A neuroscientist involved with the experiment observed that these subjects did not experience “a good intuitive or introspective sense about why” they outperformed their non-electrified counterparts.
So, will the elite gaming headsets of the future include microphones and electric transmitters? (We certainly hope not.)
[ Nature.com]
Aaron
Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 5:47 AMSo… Basically, a real life thinking cap that actually works? Awesome. Think of the possibilities!
Michael McMullen
Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 10:51 AM*Tries to think of possibilities*
*applies wet sponge and battery to temple*
“WOW! Them some good possibilities!”
Robert Withers
Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 3:34 PMExactly. Won’t be long now, for the transmogrifier and the duplicator to be invented. I am so ready to get my tiger on. Tiger blood for the win.
James Mac
Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 11:37 AMSubjects probably didn’t notice the improvement because they were busy being electrified.
706
Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 5:32 PMYeah sure, applying a current to your temple will make you smarter, also pieces of rock have healing abilities, magnets in your bed will relieve pain and martians walk amongst us
Tertius Zyl
Monday, April 18, 2011 at 8:47 AMCan any one say “Placebo”???