This guide is designed to simplify your understanding of Soma's training modes. Learn how to manipulate cognitive load with our training modes. Push boundaries and manipulate the limits of human performance.
Go Beyond the Basics of Cognitive Training
At Soma, we go beyond the basics of cognitive training. Our training modes, engineered in collaboration with top universities, are powerful engines for building mental resilience, measuring attentional capacity, applying time pressure, combining cognitive and physical load, and much more.
Explore Soma’s modes and discover how you can push boundaries and manipulate the limits of human performance.
Audiovisual Modes
Purpose
These modes provide real-time feedback to influence decision-making.
When to Use
Use when you want to provide feedback and influence decision-making.
Audiovisual Feedback Types
Audio -: Negative feedback for incorrect responses.
Audio +: Positive feedback for correct responses.
Visual -: Negative visual feedback for incorrect responses.
Visual +: Positive visual feedback for correct responses.
Audio/Visual +/-: Both positive and negative feedback for all responses.
EDM Mode
Purpose
Enhances error detection and monitors behavior after incorrect responses.
When to Use
Use to analyze and improve how users respond to errors.
Key Concepts
EDM Reaction Time: Measures how long it takes to correctly respond after an error, providing insights into decision-making.
Strategic Error Correction: If the EDM reaction time is longer than that of the primary task, it may indicate a deliberate, cautious approach to avoid repeating the same error.
Progress Tracking: As users improve in correcting mistakes, the gap between their normal reaction time and EDM reaction time should decrease, indicating faster recovery.
Analytics
Monitor both the primary task's reaction time and the EDM reaction time. A slower EDM reaction time compared to the primary task suggests that the user is taking more time after errors to avoid future mistakes. Conversely, a faster EDM reaction time suggests quick cognitive recovery and adaptability.
CSQ Mode
Purpose
Aims to enhance mental resilience by extending task duration after incorrect answers.
When to Use
Use to increase focus and decision-making accuracy through time penalties for mistakes.
Key Concepts
Error Indication: The timer bar turns red after a mistake, signaling an error.
Time Penalty: Each error adds 15 seconds to the task duration. Consecutive errors during the penalty phase add more time, enforcing increased focus and precision.
Analytics
Monitor the number of time penalties (CSQs) applied. Tracking these over time offers insights into the effectiveness of the mode in improving mental resilience.
DRT Mode
Purpose
Evaluates the cognitive effort and attentional resources a task demands.
When to Use
Use to assess the cognitive load of a task by comparing the primary task's reaction time and DRT reaction time.
Key Concepts
Interpreting DRT Results: Compare DRT reaction time to the primary task's reaction time. A slower DRT time suggests a high cognitive load, while a faster DRT time indicates a lower cognitive load.
Attentional Resource Consumption: Slower DRT reaction times compared to the primary task indicate that the task consumes more attentional resources.
Analytics
Monitor both the primary task's reaction time and the DRT reaction time to gauge the cognitive load and attentional resources required for the task.
Time to Exhaustion (TTE) Mode
Purpose
Pushes individuals to their cognitive limits over extended periods, enhancing mental stamina and resilience.
When to Use
Use to train cognitive endurance by maintaining high performance under prolonged stress. The task continues until the individual exceeds a set threshold reaction time.
Key Concepts
Initial Assessment: Begins with a 3-minute test to establish baseline reaction time.
Target & Threshold Reaction Time: The target reaction time is determined by the initial assessment, with the threshold (the slowest acceptable response) set at 20% above this target. The task ends immediately if the threshold is exceeded.
Analytics
Monitor how long the individual maintains their reaction time within the target and threshold limits to gauge cognitive endurance.
VPF Mode
Purpose
Improves reaction time, concentration, and consistency through real-time feedback on stimulus variation.
When to Use
Ideal for individuals looking to enhance their response time and maintain consistent performance.
Key Concepts
Objective: Enhance reaction time, concentration, and consistency with real-time feedback.
Target Audience: Suitable for those aiming to improve response speed and consistency.
Mechanics: Encourages achieving a variation of -/+ 10% for each correct response.
Analytics
Track consistency and improvement in reaction time over time.
Adaptive Mode
Purpose
Adjusts the cognitive load based on a user's performance.
When to Use
Perfect for tasks that need to align with an individual's current cognitive capacity, ensuring an appropriate challenge level.
Key Concepts
Objective: Adjust the cognitive challenge according to a user's performance.
Mechanics: Continuously adjusts to maintain a balance between task difficulty and the individual's cognitive capacity.
HRZ Mode
Purpose
Ensures individuals stay within a specific heart rate zone during cognitive training.
When to Use
Use when it's important to maintain a specific heart rate during cognitive tasks.
Key Concepts
Objective: Ensure individuals remain within a designated heart rate zone during training.
Mechanics: If the heart rate deviates from the desired zone, the cognitive task is paused until the correct zone is reestablished.
Heart Rate Zones
Zone 1: Very light (50–60% of HRmax)
Zone 2: Light (60–70% of HRmax)
Zone 3: Moderate (70–80% of HRmax)
Zone 4: Hard (80–90% of HRmax)
Zone 5: Maximum (90–100% of HRmax)
CEM Mode
Purpose
Integrates heart rate into the cognitive task, combining physical exertion with cognitive effort.
When to Use
Use when you want to challenge both mental and physical capacities by requiring heart rate elevation to complete tasks.
Key Concepts
Objective: Require users to reach a target heart rate to answer cognitive tasks, blending physical and cognitive challenges.
Mechanics: Users must sustain the target heart rate for at least three seconds to respond. The task becomes increasingly demanding as it progresses, requiring more mental and physical effort.
AHR Mode
Purpose
Guides users through various heart rate zones during cognitive training.
When to Use
Use to train users by navigating them through different heart rate zones while maintaining cognitive performance.
Key Concepts
Objective: Guide users through different heart rate zones during cognitive tasks.
Mechanics: If the heart rate deviates from the desired zone, the cognitive task pauses until the correct zone is regained.
Heart Rate Zones
Zone 1: Very light (50–60% of HRmax)
Zone 2: Light (60–70% of HRmax)
Zone 3: Moderate (70–80% of HRmax)
Zone 4: Hard (80–90% of HRmax)
Zone 5: Maximum (90–100% of HRmax)
AHV Mode
Purpose
Tracks and adjusts cognitive load based on real-time heart rate variability (HRV).
When to Use
Use to dynamically modify cognitive challenges according to changes in HRV, enhancing training by aligning with physiological responses.
Key Concepts
Objective: Monitor and adapt to an individual's HRV in real time.
Mechanics: The cognitive challenge increases as HRV rises and decreases as HRV drops.
TSM Mode
Purpose
Amplifies an individual's cognitive capabilities by adding a secondary cognitive task to the primary exercise. This intensifies attentional focus and resilience to cognitive stress.
When to Use
Use to train cognitive agility and resilience by adding a secondary task that requires quick decision-making under cognitive stress.
Key Concepts
Objective: Boost cognitive abilities with a secondary cognitive task.
Secondary Task Mechanics:
Left Button: White number between 0-5 or odd red number.
Right Button: White number between 6-9 or even red number.
Purpose of Secondary Task: Introduces a task-switching challenge to evaluate cognitive agility.
Analytics
Using Soma Analytics, compare the TSM reaction time to that of the primary task. A slower TSM reaction time indicates a higher cognitive load, suggesting the secondary task demands more cognitive effort. Conversely, a faster TSM reaction time suggests less cognitive load and higher efficiency in handling dual tasks. Monitor both reaction times to gain insights into how much attentional resources are consumed by the secondary task, with slower TSM times indicating increased cognitive load.
DPM Mode
Purpose
Monitor shifts in an individual's performance and provide feedback when cognitive performance declines.
When to Use
Use this mode to provide athletes with performance feedback, helping them maintain focus and push cognitive boundaries by identifying performance drops.
Key Concepts
Objective: Provide feedback when cognitive performance deteriorates.
Mechanics: The duration of the feedback is proportional to the severity of the performance drop.
Feedback Visualization: The longer the timer bar stays pink, the more significant the performance deviation.
Purpose of Feedback: Acts as both an informative tool and a motivational trigger, encouraging individuals to maintain sharp focus.
PCM Mode
Purpose
Pushes mental resilience to new heights by demanding an intense physical sprint after each mistake, blending cognitive challenge with physical endurance.
When to Use
Use this mode when you want to enforce focus and accuracy. After each error, the individual must perform a 5-second sprint at heart rate Zone 4. With each additional mistake, 5 more seconds are added, capping at 20 seconds. This escalating challenge enhances concentration, reduces errors, and elevates overall performance.
Key Concepts
Objective: Boost mental resilience by linking errors to physical exertion.
Mechanics: After an error, the heart rate must rise from Zone 2 to Zone 4 for 5 seconds. Each subsequent error adds 5 more seconds, up to 20 seconds.
Purpose of Method: Motivates users to concentrate, minimize errors, and improve overall performance.
Analytics
Track the number of PCMs over time to assess how effectively this intervention enhances cognitive focus and physical endurance.
TPM Mode
Purpose
Introduces time constraints to enhance cognitive performance under pressure.
When to Use
Use this mode to push users to respond quickly by imposing escalating time pressure as their reaction times improve.
Key Concepts
Objective: Apply time constraints to an individual's responses.
Mechanics: Time Pressure Mode tracks response times and increases pressure through a secondary timer. As reaction times improve, the time pressure intensifies, creating more cognitive stress and pushing for faster responses.
Analytics
Track the number of TPMs applied over time to evaluate the effectiveness of this intervention.