"Memory Match" works at improving your working memory, an important factor in many cognitive processes. You have to memorize (and retain) what symbol has moved across your sight and try to match it to the third symbol that is shown. The different shapes disappear after they are shown so this is a very challenging exercise.
"MoneyComb" is designed to exercise and improve working memory and attention. The game involves remembering the location of multiple types of coins on a honeycomb-style board. You also have to find them in order of presentation that becomes increasingly difficult.
"Chalkboard Challenge" is designed to train and improve your processing speed and arithmetic reasoning. You must quickly solve math equations as they become increasingly difficult. Speed and accuracy give you more points.
Overall, I think that Lumosity is one of the most clinically relevant games I have ever seen. The idea that one can practice cognitive skill sets to improve the normal signs of aging that decrease mental capacity is vital to one's quality of life.
I would have liked to see some studies on any population to be able to quote information on normative data, validity, and reliability. However, any clinician who is able to norm this on their own populations should do so. I truly believe that playing games such as these, much like doing crossword puzzles, improves the cognitive decline that is inherent in the aging process.
In addition, my children and my father played these games and became addicted to them. For some reason, the bird watching game, while VERY challenging, is the favorite across five decades of participants!
This game is not rated by the ESRB.
Article comments
1 - Gene Venable
I would like to see a comparison between these sorts of activities and jogging. I have a feeling that jogging is better for long-term maintenance and improvement of brain functions. I am finding the Lumosity site fun, but I find many of the suppositions it encourages to be questionable. I would also like to see comparative benefits between Lumosity and learning a language,computer or foreign, take your pick! I suspect that any of the activities I listed are at least as good as Lumosity, and they are probably cheaper.
2 - aenflex
The 20 or so games are simple, once you have played them each a few times, they can become boring. You are always competing against your past scores, and measurements are made in a few different areas of brain function. However after playing the games for a few hours per month, I did notice my memory grabbing and holding things a bit longer, and I was making faster calcuations in my mind. It really works, and it works in such a way that is easy to notice so long as you are at least slightly self-aware. I was a memeber of Lumosity about 2 years ago, and paid around 7 dollars a month. I discontinued memebership after the card they charged each month was lost. I recently went to re-join after taking the trial membership and its 17 DOLLARS A MONTH! WTF? 8 DOLLARS A MONTH IF YOU WANT A YEAR SUBSCRIPTION BUT THEY COLLECT THE ENTIRE SUM UP FRONT! WHAT A BLESSED RIP OFF! OTHER SITES WHERE YOU CAN ACUTALLY WIN MONEY DON'T COST 17 DOLLARS A MONTH TO JUST BE A MEMBER. I AM ALL FOR TRAINING THE BRAIN, STAYING MENTALLY ALERT AND YOUTHFUL. BUT 17 BUCKS A MONTH IN THIS ECONOMY?
I refuse to join, though I can afford it, for pure prinicple. It's like a handful of guys running Lumosity.com (from Lumos labs), and thanks to them I can crunch these numbers:
LET'S SAY THEY HAVE 7 PPL ON THE THE lumosity .com PAYROLL. LETS SAY THEY HAVE 500K MEMBERS PAYING AN AVG OF 12 DOLLARS/MONTH. 500K TIMES 12 BUCKS IS SIX MILLION DOLLARS PER MONTH, DIVIDED BY THE 7 PPL THAT WORK THERE - EACH WOULD MAKE 857K PER MONTH. OF COURSE THESE NUMBERS DON'T REFLECT THE COST OF RUNNING SOME SERVERS AND RENTING SPACE BUT PEOPLE THIS IS 6 MIL A MONTH! OF COURSE I AM GUESSING AT THE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES, (BUT ITS CLOSE IF YOU CHECK THEIR SITE STAFF IS LISTED) AND I HAVE NO IDEA THE NUMBER OF MEMBERS. IT COULD BE ONLY 250K, AND DARN IT THAT WOULD MEAN THEY ARE ONLY RAKING IN 3 MIL A MONTH RATHER THAN 6...
I sure as heck am not going to pay anyone's fat-cat salary. The games are simple enough to create your own versions using flashcards and powerpoint :)
3 - Cindy
I joined Lumosity for a free trial. Kept getting billed for 5 months, even though I cancled my account, had Lumosity cancle my account and promise me a refund. Im STILL being billed. I would never give them my credit card again
4 - lisa
is there any payment for this ?
5 - Satish
While subscribing, what should i give as the expiration date. it always says invalid subscription data
6 - Boring games
I bought the one year subscription and it is really boring, the same games,over and over the only thing that changes is the lesson #, I contacted the customer service and I could not cancel my subscription.
7 - jackie
wow, thanks guys, you've saved me from wasting money with Lumosity. I totally agree with aenflex. Those profits are obscene.
8 - Eldar Noe
I actually joined under a special offer they were having for $59 for a whole year. I started training a month and a half ago, and I can already tell a difference. I am remembering things I could not remember before. I no longer need to look at addresses multiple times as I am driving to them, I remember names of people I just met (and I retain the names for later). I am also better at focusing at work now, and get jobs done through and through, and my math skills have taken off. Overall, I gotta say that so far it has been well worth the investment. My quality of life has improved. In my opinion, if someone comes up with a tool that helps me this much, I have no problem paying into their fat cat salary. They deserve every penny they get.
9 - MLMR
so my 13 year old son needs assistance with enhancing his cognitive skills...will this be boring for him?