December 11, 2009
1 min read
Add Us On GoogleAdd SciAmHead Chaise: Couching One's Thoughts into a Brain Wave Sofa [Slide Show]
A neuro-feedback-contrived couch in Belgium that came literally out of one of the designer's heads
By Gary Stix
On supporting science journalism
If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.
Two European designers, Dries Verbruggen and Lucas Maassen, became enthralled recently with the idea of neuro-feedback in which a patient—say, someone with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder—observes his or her own brain waves on a video screen and tries to alter their oscillations through mental effort.
Electrodes attached to the head transmit patterns of neural activity that can be nominally altered to produce focused attention, a calm outlook or some other state of mind. Whether neuro-feedback is an effective treatment, however, is still an open question.
But, even if it is just a slightly more dynamic form of phrenology, the oscillating signals inside your head hold an undeniable attraction to some people. For Verbruggen and Maassen the ups and downs of the alpha waves provided inspiration for their design work, which ultimately resulted in a piece of furniture, the Brain Wave Couch.
Slide Show: Brain Wave Couch: Sit on That Thought
It’s Time to Stand Up for Science
If you enjoyed this article, I’d like to ask for your support. Scientific American has served as an advocate for science and industry for 180 years, and right now may be the most critical moment in that two-century history.
I’ve been a Scientific American subscriber since I was 12 years old, and it helped shape the way I look at the world. SciAm always educates and delights me, and inspires a sense of awe for our vast, beautiful universe. I hope it does that for you, too.
If you subscribe to Scientific American, you help ensure that our coverage is centered on meaningful research and discovery; that we have the resources to report on the decisions that threaten labs across the U.S.; and that we support both budding and working scientists at a time when the value of science itself too often goes unrecognized.
In return, you get essential news, captivating podcasts, brilliant infographics, can't-miss newsletters, must-watch videos, challenging games, and the science world's best writing and reporting. You can even gift someone a subscription.
There has never been a more important time for us to stand up and show why science matters. I hope you’ll support us in that mission.
