ListenUp™ is based on principles of auditory neuroscience that focus on selective auditory
attention and interhemispheric communication within the brain. By dynamically manipulating sound
frequencies, particularly those within the human vocal range, it has the potential to enhance
function in areas such as behaviour, emotional regulation, cognition, language acquisition,
social skills, motor and sensory integration through the activation of specific neuronal
pathways via the auditory system. (Zatorre, Robert J., and Isabelle Peretz, eds. "The Cognitive
Neuroscience of
Music." Oxford University Press, 2003).
Auditory Filters and Frequency Emphasis
Our technology employs specialized filtering algorithms to emphasize certain frequencies while
dampening others. This draws from the "cocktail party effect" in auditory scene analysis
(Bregman, Albert S. "Auditory scene analysis: The perceptual organization of sound." MIT press,
1994), helping the brain pay attention to important sounds and filter out background noise.
Interhemispheric Communication
The tool uses the dynamic modulation of sound to engage both hemispheres of the brain, promoting
interhemispheric communication. This is grounded in research suggesting the involvement of both
hemispheres in complex auditory tasks (Rogalsky, Corianne, et al. "Functional anatomy of
language and music perception: Temporal and structural factors investigated using functional
magnetic resonance imaging." The Journal of Neuroscience 31.10 (2011): 3843-3852).
Randomized Gating and Neuronal Engagement
By incorporating elements of unpredictability via randomized gating, ListenUp™ stimulates a
broader range of auditory neurons. This is consistent with the principle of neural plasticity
and the impact of novelty on learning (Buonomano, Dean V., and Michael M. Merzenich. "Cortical
plasticity: From synapses to maps." Annual review of neuroscience 21.1 (1998): 149-186).
Dynamic Binaural Beat Layering
ListenUp™ also incorporates a dynamic binaural beat system that allows for real-time
manipulation of sound frequencies delivered separately to each ear. This technology is rooted in
the binaural beat phenomenon, wherein two slightly different frequencies are played in each ear,
and the brain perceives a third tone that is the mathematical difference between the two. This
has been studied for its potential effects on cognitive functions, stress levels, and even
neural synchronization (Oster, Gerald. "Auditory beats in the brain." Scientific American 229
(1973): 94-102).
The binaural beat system in ListenUp™ is dynamic, synchronising mathematically with the other
filters, meaning the beat frequencies adapt in real-time, thereby providing a richer and more
complex auditory journey. This feature helps to engage different brainwave states, optimize
focused attention, and enhance cognitive functions.
Customization and Individual Differences
Auditory training programs have traditionally been based around a narrow set of classical music
tracks, largely due the residual belief in the 'mozart effect'. However, modern research shows
that, while classical music can be very beneficial, there is also great value in utilising music
that is to the individuals taste, whatever the genre. By self-selecting the music tracks used,
you get automatic boosts in attention/engagement, essentially for free. Not tying strictly to
classical music also allows for far greater variation in the intervention, resulting in greater
novelty, which in turn drives plastic changes in the brain. ListenUp™ offers more agency to the
user via customizable settings, and the ability to choose your preferred music from your device.
This
personalized approach aligns with the individual differences component of the DIR developmental
model, and is in harmony with current scientific understanding of auditory perception and
cognitive engagement (Winkler, István, et al. "Human auditory cortex tracks task-irrelevant
sound sources." Journal of Neurophysiology 120.3 (2018): 1269-1280).
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