METHOD AND ARRANGEMENT IN A COMPUTER TRAINING SYSTEM

• US 20050244797A9
• Filed: 08/22/2001
• Published: 11/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Neural Assembly Int AB
• Original Assignee: Cogmed Systems AB (Pearson plc)
• Inventors: Klingberg, Torkel
• Granted Patent: US 7,186,116 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 434/236
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 7/04 characterised by modifying the teaching programme in response to a wrong answer, e.g. repeating the question, supplying a further explanation

Abstract

The present invention relates to a computer training system for training working memory capacity of a user of a computer within the system, and a computer program to be used within said system, a first task of a first difficulty level is presented to the user, a delay of a predetermined time is performed, during which delay the task is not visible or audible to the user, and during which delay it is not possible to enter an answer into the computer, the difficulty level of a subsequent task to be presented to the user is changed in accordance with predetermined adaptation rules and based on said evaluation such that the difficulty level of the subsequent task is adapted to the capacity of the user, subsequent tasks are presented to the user adapted to the capacity of the user in until a predetermined time limit is exceeded or until a predetermined number of tasks has been performed.

Claims

1. A computer training system for improving the working memory capacity of a user of a computer (110) within said system, the system comprising:

a computer (110) connectable to;

input means (102, 104) adapted for input of data by the user, and

visual (106) and/or audio (108) presentation means adapted for presenting tasks for that user;

means for receiving an answer of a presented task from the user by means of said input means;

means for evaluating whether the answer is correct or incorrect;

means for presenting a first task of a first difficulty level, on said presentation means; and

;

means for changing the difficulty level of a subsequent task to be presented to the user, in accordance with predetermined adaptation rules and based on said evaluation, such that the difficulty level of the subsequent task is adapted to the capacity of the user, making the user motivated to proceed with the subsequent task; and

means for presenting subsequent tasks adapted to the capacity of the user as mentioned above, until a predetermined time limit is exceeded or until a predetermined number of tasks has been performed.

characterised in that computer (110) comprises;

means for making a delay of a predetermined time, during which delay the stimuli that should be remembered is not visible or audible to the user and during which delay it is not possible to enter an answer into the computer (110) so that during this delay, the user keeps the task information about the stimuli in his working memory.

2. The computer training system according to claim 1, wherein said predetermined adaptation rules determines that after one or more correct answers the difficulty level is raised and after one or more incorrect answers the difficulty level is lowered.

3. The computer training system according to the previous claim, wherein said difficulty level is raised after three correct answers and wherein the difficulty level is lowered after one incorrect answer.

4. The computer training system according to any of the previous claims, wherein the computer (110) is connectable to a server (114) adapted for storing results of the tasks.

5. The computer training system according to any of the previous claims, wherein the computer (110) is connectable to a server (114) adapted for storing the working memory training computer program such that it is possible for the user to download said computer program to the computer (110).

6. The computer training system according to any of the previous claims 4-5, wherein the computer (110) comprises an Internet interface for connecting to the server (114) via the Internet.

7. The computer training system according to any of the previous claims 4-6, wherein said server (114) is accessible by a second computer (118) used by a training adviser and/or a medical adviser.

8. The computer training system according to any of the previous claims, wherein the predetermined time in the means for making a delay is 0.1-10 seconds.

9. The computer training system according to any of the previous claims, wherein it comprises means for making a disturbance during said delay.

10. The computer training system according to any of the previous claims, wherein the task is adapted for training the spatial part of the working memory.

11. The computer training system according to any of the previous claims, wherein the task and subsequent tasks are adapted for training the spatial part of the working memory.

12. The computer training system according to any of the previous claim 1-9, wherein the task and subsequent tasks are adapted for training the verbal part of the working memory.

13. The computer training system according to any of the previous claim 1-9, wherein the task and subsequent tasks are adapted for training the object orienting part of the working memory.

14. The computer training system according to any of the previous claims, wherein the system is used for therapeutic treatment of a person with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

15. The computer training system according to the previous claim, wherein the therapeutic treatment is used for reducing the hyperactivity of the person with ADHD.

16. The computer training system according to any of the previous claim 1-13, wherein the system is used for the therapeutic treatment of a person with traumatic brain injury.

17. The computer training system according to any of the claims 1-13, wherein the system is used for therapeutic treatment of an old person with impaired capacity of the working memory.

18. A computer program product directly loadable into a computer (110) in a computer training system, for improving the working memory capacity of a user of the computer (110), according to any of the claims 1-17;

the computer program product comprises the software code means for performing the steps of;

receiving an answer to a presented task, which answer is entered into the computer (110) by the user by means of the input means;

evaluating whether said answer is correct or incorrect;

presenting a first task of a first difficulty level to the user on the presentation means; and

;

changing the difficulty level of a subsequent task to be presented to the user, in accordance with predetermined adaptation rules and based on said evaluation, such that the difficulty level of the subsequent task is adapted to the capacity of the user; and

presenting subsequent tasks adapted to the capacity of the user in accordance with the steps above until a predetermined time limit is exceeded or until a predetermined number of tasks has been performed;

characterised in that the computer program product further comprises the software code means for performing the step of;

making a delay of a predetermined time, during which delay the stimuli to be remembered is not visible or audible, and during which delay it is not possible to enter an answer into the computer (110), so that during this delay, the user keeps the task information about the stimuli in his working memory.

19. The computer program product according to claim 17, wherein said predetermined adaptation rules determines that after one or more correct answers the computer program product performs the step of:

raising the difficulty level;

and wherein said predetermined adaptation rules determines that after one or more incorrect answers the computer program product performs the step of;

lowering the difficulty level.

20. The computer program product according to claim 19, wherein said difficulty level is raised after three correct answers and wherein the difficulty level is lowered after one incorrect answer.

21. The computer program product according to any of the claims 18-20, wherein the degree of difficulty of the task and the subsequent tasks is adapted in such a way that the user will solve the tasks at a degree of correctness of 70-90%.

22. The computer program product according to claim 21, wherein, said degree of correctness is 80%.

23. The computer program product according to any of the claims 18-22, wherein it further performs the step of:

storing the results of a task in a server (114) connected to the computer (110).

24. The computer program product according to any of the claim 18-23, wherein it is downloaded from a server (114).

25. The computer program product according to any of the claims 18-24, wherein the predetermined time in the step of making a delay is 0.1-10 seconds.

26. The computer program product according to any of the claims 18-25, wherein it further performs the step of:

making a visual or auditory disturbance during said delay.

27. The computer program product according to any of the claims 18-26, wherein the task and subsequent tasks are adapted for training the spatial part of the working memory.

28. The computer program product according to any of the claims 18-26, wherein the task and subsequent tasks are adapted for training the verbal part of the working memory.

29. The computer program product according to any of the claims 18-26, wherein the task and subsequent tasks are adapted for training the object orienting part of the working memory.

30. The computer program product according to any of the claims 18-29, wherein it is used for therapeutic treatment of a person with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

31. The computer program product according to claim 30, wherein the therapeutic treatment is used for reducing the hyperactivity of the person with ADHD.

32. The computer program product according to any of the claims 18-29, wherein the system is used for therapeutic treatment of a person with traumatic brain injury.

33. The computer program product according to any of the claims 18-29, wherein the system is used for therapeutic treatment of an old person with impaired capacity of the working memory.

34. The computer program product according to any of the claims 18-33, wherein the training is performed web-based and the user connects the computer 110 to a network such as e.g. the Internet and performs the training on-line by means of a media player such as e.g. Shockwave™

.

35. The computer program product according to any of the claims 18-34, wherein it is designed to appear to be a computer or video game to motivate the user to perform the training.

36. A computer program product stored on a computer usable medium, comprising readable program for causing a computer (110) in a computer training system for improving the working memory capacity of the user of the computer (110), according to any of the claims 1-17;

to control an execution of the steps of;

receiving an answer, entered into the computer (110) by the user by means of the input means;

evaluating whether said answer is correct or incorrect;

presenting a first task of a first difficulty level to the user on the presentation means; and

;

changing the difficulty level of a subsequent task to be presented to the user, in accordance with predetermined adaptation rules and based on said evaluation, such that the difficulty level of the subsequent task is adapted to the capacity of the user; and

presenting subsequent tasks adapted to the capacity of the user in accordance with the steps above until a predetermined time limit is exceeded or until a predetermined number of tasks has been performed

characterised in that the computer program product causes the computer (110) to control an execution of the further step of;

making a delay of a predetermined time, during which delay the stimuli to be remembered is not visible or audible, and during which delay it is not possible to enter an answer into the computer (110), so that during this delay, the user keeps the task information about the stimuli in his working memory.

37. The computer program product according to claim 36, wherein said predetermined adaptation rules determines that after one or more correct answers the computer program product performs the step of:

raising the difficulty level;

and wherein said predetermined adaptation rules determines that after one or more incorrect answers the computer program product performs the step of;

lowering the difficulty level.

38. The computer program product according to claim 37, wherein said difficulty level is raised after three correct answers and wherein the difficulty level is lowered after one incorrect answer.

39. The computer program product according to any of the claims 36-38, wherein the degree of difficulty of the task and the subsequent tasks is adapted in such a way that the user will solve the tasks at a degree of correctness of 70-90%.

40. The computer program product according to claim 39, wherein, said degree of correctness is 80%.

41. The computer program product according to any of the claims 36-40, wherein it causes the computer (110) to control an execution of the further step of:

storing the results of a task in a server (114) connected to the computer (110).

42. The computer program product according to any of the claims 36-41, wherein the predetermined time in the step of making a delay is 0.1-10 seconds.

43. The computer program product according to any of the claims 36-42, wherein it causes the computer (110) to control an execution of the further step of:

making a visual or auditory disturbance during said delay.

44. The computer program product according to any of the claims 36-43, wherein the task and subsequent tasks are adapted for training the spatial part of the working memory.

45. The computer program product according to any of the claims 36-43, wherein the task and subsequent tasks are adapted for training the verbal part of the working memory.

46. The computer program product according to any of the claims 36-43, wherein the task and subsequent tasks are adapted for training the object orienting part of the working memory.

47. The computer program product according to any of the claims 36-46, wherein it is used for therapeutic treatment of a person with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

48. The computer program product according to claim 45, wherein the therapeutic treatment is used for reducing the hyperactivity of the person with ADHD.

49. The computer program product according to any of the claims 36-44 wherein the system is used for therapeutic treatment of a person with traumatic brain injury.

50. The computer program product according to any of the claims 36-44, wherein the system is used for therapeutic treatment of an old person with impaired capacity of the working memory.

51. The computer program product according to any of the claims 36-50, wherein the training is performed web-based and the user connects the computer (110) to a network such as e.g. the Internet and performs the training on-line by means of a media player such as e.g. Shockwave™

.

52. The computer program product according to any of the claims 36-51 wherein it is designed to appear to be a computer or video game to motivate the user to perform the training.