Biohacking & Self-Quantified Cognitive Performance
Due to its neuroplasticity effects, i3 Mindware is a ‘biohack’ – a technological intervention that modifies the central nervous system (CNS) to improve cognitive performance.
[box type=’notice’]A biohacker (or “wetware hacker”) is similar to a computer hacker who creates and modifies computer software or computer hardware as a hobby, but he or she does it with their body, brain and biology.[/box]
Biohacking has joined forces with the self-quantification movement resulting in a philosophy of self-experimentation and scientifically based training and technological intervention to improve human potential and performance – both physical and cognitive.
People using the self-quantification approach track and quantify the widespread cognitive and neuroplasticity effects of increasing IQ. Apart from the measurable effects on learning ability, problem solving, reasoning and attentional focus, i3 dual n-back training has other effects on brain performance – such as the amount of REM sleep during a night’s sleep. REM sleep is known to play an important role in learning and consolidating memories.
Here is one of Andrew Clark’s self-quantification experiments using our IQ increase i3 training program. Andrew Clark is a co-founder of The BulletProof Executive.
I’ve used a Zeo to track my sleep patterns after N-back training to see what my brain was up to the following night. The result? Drastically higher REM sleep percentages, often between 30-40% of sleep–proof enough that the n-back training boosts brain optimization significantly. One night my REM even exceeded light sleep.
Other biohacking methods include using smart drugs and tDCS. Click here for a review – How To Increase IQ? Working Memory Training, Smart Drugs and tDCS Reviewed.
Here are some well-known bio-hackers:
Gary Wolf
Here is a well known self-quantifier – Gary Wolf – explaining what can be done here at a TED talk:
Two renowned bloggers tapping into biohacking and self-quantification movements are Tim Ferriss and Dave Asprey.
Tim Ferriss
Author and blogger Tim Ferriss is someone who has specialized in biohacking his body. His blog can be found here, and here is an introduction to his latest best selling body biohacking book: ‘The 4-Hour Body’:
Dave Asprey
Dave Asprey has focused on brain biohacking, also known as ‘mindhacking’. To quote from his blog The Bullet Proof Executive:
The Bulletproof Executive was born out of a fifteen-year single-minded crusade to upgrade the human being using every available technology. It distills the knowledge of more than 120 world-class MDs, biochemists, Olympic nutritionists, meditation experts, and more than $250,000 spent on personal self-experiments.
The Financial Times calls Dave Asprey a “bio-hacker who takes self-quantification to the extreme of self-experimentation.” Here is a good introduction to Dave’s background as an Internet entrepreneur, and his biohacking work:
Dave has made use of our i3 Mindware software, and saw a 12 point IQ gain. An article on our mindware can be found on his Bullet Proof Executive blog ‘How to Add 2.75 IQ Points Per Hour of Training’.