Archive for the 'The Listening Program' Category

ISQRMM Music and Medicine Conference Presentation

Published May 8, 2013 ABT News , Advanced Brain Technologies , Events , music , music research , The Listening Program Leave a Comment
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Globe

I just received confirmation that the Interdisciplinary Society for Quantitative Research in Music and Medicine (ISQRMM) has accepted our abstract entitled “Cross-Cultural Sound and Music: A Novel Rhythmic Approach for Improving Brain Function” to be presented as a workshop session during the 2013 conference to be held on July 26-27, 2013, at the University of Georgia Hugh Hodgson School of Music in Athens, Georgia!  I’ll be presenting along with my colleagues, occupational therapist Sheila Allen, and master ethnic percussionist and composer Nacho Arimany.

If you follow or are involved with our work at Advanced Brain Technologies you really won’t want to miss this conference. In addition to our presentation (see abstract below) more than 20 music effects researchers will be presenting from around the world.

Cross- Cultural Music and Sound: A Novel Rhythmic Approach for Improving Brain Function 

The integration of acoustic elements: frequency, amplitude, time and spatiality, form the basis for how sound affects us.  Since ancient times, sound has been used with great purpose to affect man.  More recently, in the last seventy years, ongoing technological and scientific advances have enabled the development of sound-based programs for applications ranging from brain injury rehabilitation to wellness, and peak mental performance.

Beginning with its release of The Listening Program® in 1999, Advanced Brain Technologies, a leader in applied psychoacoustics and music cognition, has been combining artistry, musicianship, research, and interdisciplinary collaboration with technological innovations to record and produce music-based methods specifically created to improve and support brain function in children and adults.

The next generation of sound/music for brain fitness begins at the 2013 ISQRMM Conference. This presentation will unveil the newest development in The Listening Program, comprised entirely of original music which highlights and connects acoustic elements through a distinctive integration of rhythmic cross-cultural sounds.

This dynamic session will include the worldwide debut of this originally composed music through live and recorded performance, and audience participation. The history, rationale, and applications of this ground-breaking program will be presented by its creators.

Join us! Athens is a great college town, registration is only $75, and the conference hotel rates are very reasonable. Online registration is now open and may be accessed at http://www.isqrmm.org.

Also, be sure to stay on for The Listening Program® provider training course hosted at the University the day after the conference on Sunday the 29th. Registration information is available here.

 

 

 

 

The Listening Program Autism Giveaway

Published April 25, 2013 ABT News , Advanced Brain Technologies , autism , The Listening Program Leave a Comment
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bn_spectrum

Last month the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released new findings revealing the prevalence of diagnosed autism spectrum disorder has risen to epidemic proportions.  1 in 50!

With the average cost of autism over the lifespan being $3.2 million dollars per person families need all the help they can get.  I’m happy to share that we are going to give one of these families a little support.

Using The Listening Program® (TLP) for just 15 minutes each day has been making a huge difference in the lives of families affected by autism. TLP has been voted Best Product at Autism One, is Autism Approved by the Autism Hope Alliance, and is Generation Rescue approved!

TLP is enjoyable acoustically-modified music that helps reduce sensory sensitivities and increase comfort in the environment for children and adults on the autism spectrum. It gently helps to desensitize emotional reactions to sound, reduce stress, and improve brain performance.

In honor of Autism Awareness Month, we’re providing a family with a chance to benefit from TLP SPECTRUM. Our winner will receive a scholarship worth more than $2,300, including: TLP SPECTRUM, the WAVES™ bone conduction audio system, AND coaching from a TLP Certified Provider!

Entering is easy.  Just like the Advanced Brain Technologies Facebook fan page, enter your contact info, and tell us in 100 words or fewer how TLP SPECTRUM could help your child.

Please enter here: http://ow.ly/kjFP5  Hurry, the contest ends soon!

Attending Autism One/Generation Rescue Conference 2013? Stop by our booth in the Generation Rescue Lounge. On Friday, May 24th at 3:30 pm I’ll be presenting  Acoustically-Modified Music: Brain Based Training for Improving Auditory Processing and Sound Hypersensitivity. I hope to see you there!

Buenos dias from Bogota

Published March 7, 2013 Events , personal , The Listening Program Leave a Comment
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Bogota, Colombia

Photo Credit: Jason Pitcher

Buenos días from Bogotá, Colombia. Arrived last night following a small travel snafu; my flight from Salt Lake to Atlanta was delayed 4 hours, which meant a missed connection on the only daily flight to Bogotá! Fortunately, my Delta agent was able to route me through Houston for an on time arrival through United. Nice recovery Delta! The next travel moment was checking into my hotel, Bogotá Plaza Summit Hotel. On arrival the night manager very apologetically informed me that I had no room for the evening. Fortunately the GM was kind enough to let me use her personal suite so I wasn’t out in the streets in a foreign land. Whew!  This is where I am posting from now. Pretty nice digs.

I once heard events come in 3′s, so I am waiting to see what comes next…  I hope my assistant Stevie doesn’t read this as she has been fretting over my trip going well. She is great at attending to all the details and this could ruin her day… If you are reading this Stevie, not to worry, as everything has a way of working itself out. I tend toward my optimistic side when it comes to things I can’t control. What’s the use in worrying?  Stuff happens…

Why am I in Bogotá? Well, we’re very happy to be opening Colombia as a new market for The Listening Program® and Advanced Brain Technologies. Our Colombian representatives Clínica Rivas are holding a week long conference for audiologists and otolologists called SEMANA DE LA OTOLOGIA, the largest event of it’s kind in South America.  Tomorrow I’ll be giving a workshop for parents of hearing impaired children, Saturday and Sunday I’m training new TLP Providers, Monday I have two presentations at the main conference where I will making the case for using acoustically-modified music for aural rehabilitation, then I head home Tuesday. Today I’ll enjoy the hotel amenities, and get a little work done while I look forward to sampling the local fare with my host Dr. Adriana Rivas, MD, AuD this evening.

A trip highlight is the Colombian Café. This morning I savored some of Juan Valdez’s finest. It reminded me of drinking Guinness in Dublin. Nothing like going to the source! I highly recommend it. Adios amigos.

TLP SLEEP Giveaway!

Published March 4, 2013 Events , Sleep , The Listening Program Leave a Comment
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Sleep

Sleepless nights are rough and take a short and long-term toll on our mental and physical health.  If you are a regular reader of The Brain Understanding Itself you’ve seen me posting a lot about sleep lately. You also likely know that my company recently launched a revolutionary auditory sleep aid, The Listening Program® SLEEP, that offers a safe, natural, drug- free solution that is helping 3 out of 4 people go to sleep faster, and stay asleep longer.

In honor of National Sleep Awareness Week 2013 we decided to help more people receive the gift of sleep by giving two lucky fans of the Advanced Brain Technologies Facebook page their very own TLP SLEEP systems!  You can enter here: http://ow.ly/ikRTc

If you can make it join Dr. Seth Horowitz and me tonight for a free teleseminar on sleep rhythms to gain a better understanding of events that negatively impact your sleep rhythms and what you can do about it.  Register here

Instructor Mode

Published February 21, 2013 Advanced Brain Technologies , personal , The Listening Program Leave a Comment
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TLP Provider Certification Course Training Guide

Today is exciting for me. Why? Well, I get the opportunity to instruct occupational therapists, speech and language pathologists, audiologists, and neurodevelopmental specialists in our new TLP Provider Certification Course curriculum! What’s better is that I’m joined by one of our adjunct faculty members Allison Tanner, and we’re instructing it in the comfort of our Ogden, Utah training center with the support of our amazing Advanced Brain Technologies team. This kicks of our 2013 US course schedule, but my next course location is Bogota, Colombia in just a couple weeks.

I get so much from these courses. What is most gratifying is the knowledge that with each new provider we train we are touching more people with The Listening Program®, and are that much closer to realizing our vision of making sound brain fitness universally attainable to everyone. I hope your day is going to be as great as mine!

Lights Out! Teens and Sleep

Published February 19, 2013 auditory system , neuroscience , personal , Sleep , Sound Stories , technology , The Listening Program Leave a Comment
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Sleepy

If you’re a parent of a teenager I think it’s safe to assume we’d agree they are interesting beings. You never quite know what you’re going to get from one day to the next. Hormones wreak havoc with mood, and neurochemistry is in a state of constant flux.  It’s no wonder consistency is NOT a word we tend to associate with adolescence.

With 13 and 16 year olds living under our roof, my wife and I never know what mental state the boys will be in with the start of each day. What I can share is the mornings they have difficulty focusing, seem irritable. disorganized or gloomy, that a poor night’s sleep is generally the cause.  The days they have bright and sunny dispositions, clearly followed a sound, restful sleep.

According to the National Sleep Foundation teens need about 9 1/4 hours of sleep each night to function best (for some, 8 1/2 hours is enough). Most teens do not get enough sleep — one study found that only 15% reported sleeping 8 1/2 hours on school nights.

Sleep is vital to sound brain fitness, so we make it a priority in our family. House rules for the boys include no television, video games, or computer time on school nights. Caffeine is strictly off limits. Lights need to be off at 9:30 pm unless the boys have school or related activities which require them to be up longer. And, they are responsible for getting themselves up, on time.

On weekends we lighten up, but can tell you if they stay up too late on Friday or Saturday they sleep too long and definitely don’t function well. Irregular sleep patterns on the weekends disrupt their biological clocks and hurt their quality of sleep during the week. But try to convince them of that when the Xbox beckons!

The older of our two teens sleeps well, the younger not so much. A couple nights ago he wanted to try our new auditory sleep aid so my wife handed him the iPod shuffle and SleepPhones and he started to listen. She left to do something and came to get me a few minutes later. As you’ll see in the picture above, he didn’t even make it down the hallway, much less to his room to sleep. He crashed, immediately, lights out!  Pretty exciting considering what a problem sleeper he has been. Needless to say he’ll soon have a TLP SLEEP system of his very own!

If you have sleepless teens, or have your own sleeping difficulties, you might be curious to know what was able to put him to sleep so quickly and naturally. This white paper by neuroscientist Dr. Seth Horowitz explains how this powerful sound and music technology works.

Tell me, what are the biggest concerns you have about your teenagers not getting the sleep they require?

10 Reasons Sleep Matters

Published February 8, 2013 ABT News , Advanced Brain Technologies , auditory system , personal , Sleep , The Listening Program 1 Comment
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10 Reasons Sleep Matters

Sleep matters. But so few of us get enough of it.  According to the National Sleep Foundation more than 40 million American adults report having a chronic sleep disorder. But nearly three times that number—60% of adults and 69% of children— report trouble sleeping a few nights a week or more. Are you one of them? Perhaps you are, but don’t recognize it. Read number 10 on the info-graphic above now!

I have battled sleep troubles from time to time.  One contributing factor is that my mind is constantly swimming with new ideas and often won’t shut down. Vigilance also creates some sleepless nights. As a male I am biologically programmed to scan my environment for safety, even when asleep. So while my wife and children sleep soundly, my ears are monitoring the perimeter. And when something sounds out of place, I’m on it! Trouble is, when I hear that creak at 3:11 in the morning it is really hard to go back to sleep. Generally, I’ll lay in bed for a couple hours reading, playing Angry Birds, and seeing what the insomniacs are posting on Facebook.  Then, I’ll catch a quick 45 minute nap before I need to get up. Anyone with me here? I know someone can relate. I’ve seen your posts in my news feed at 4:00 am!

We really need our sleep, and lack of sleep comes at a high price. Read numbers 1-9 above. And if you don’t agree sleep matters. Well… Read number 10 again:).

Interested in learning more about about sleep? Listen to a recording of  last night’s Sound Brain Fitness teleseminar with my friend and neuroscientist Dr. Seth Horowitz on sleep science. Sleepless and want an answer now? You might want to check out a new program Advanced Brain Technologies released just today, The Listening Program® SLEEP.

The Listening Program is Autism Approved!

Published January 31, 2013 ABT News , autism , Interviews , The Listening Program 6 Comments
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17 - Copy

Great news! The Autism Hope Alliance just selected The Listening Program® as one of the products and services that they have approved to help people on the autism spectrum. We are honored to be a sponsor of this wonderful program and know we will touch many more lives as a result. Thank you AHA and keep up the great work helping families on the road to autism recovery!

Check out my Autism Approved interview with Kristin Selby Gonzalez, Chairman of the Autism Hope Alliance.

Saying Thanks

Published December 3, 2012 ABT News , Advanced Brain Technologies , Sound Stories , The Listening Program Leave a Comment
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Courae Angel

Fourteen years, that’s how long we’ve been working toward our vision of making sound brain fitness universally attainable to everyone. The years have passed quickly, and not all have been easy. But they have been extremely rewarding; knowing that the products we create make a positive impact on people’s lives.

I was richly rewarded yesterday when a former employee posted on my Facebook wall.  Her name is Nikki and she was doing a Google search when she came across a video we had produced. It featured a story about her mother Jannette, and how The Listening Program® helped in her recovery from a traumatic brain injury. It really touched me that Nikki would take the time to write. She was an awesome team member and a good friend we miss having around ABT HQ.  However, she left to pursue her doctorate in physical therapy so she can help others hands on. The world will benefit from one amazingly dedicated physical therapist when she finishes her DPT program! Yes, we forgive you for leaving Nikki…

As I write this post I am looking over my shoulder at a figurine. It is an angel of courage that Nikki’s mom gave me as a thank you along with a beautiful Lily which we planted in the garden at the entrance to our building. There is not a day I don’t walk in my office, look at that angel and give thanks for the opportunity to serve such wonderful and courageous people. And with each spring that Lily blossoms and signifies renewal; the opportunity to continue forging a path toward a world where everyone is a better listener. Thank you Pappas family for the opportunity, and ever present reminders that we are on the right course.

You may not realize it but your emails, letters, phone calls, Facebook posts, tweets, and pins sharing your love for The Listening Program mean so much to each of us at Advanced Brain Technologies. So please keep those inspiring messages coming!

As a way of showing our appreciation and saying thanks to you all we have put together a Facebook contest to give away a prize package worth over $2,200. It includes the amazing new Waves™, multi-sensory audio system, The Listening Program on a pre-loaded iPod and three months of personal coaching with a Certified Provider of The Listening Program!

We certainly hope that the winner of this contest is helped greatly through this prize and that we will be one listener closer to realizing our vision. Thank you all for your support and best of luck with the contest.

Click here to enter and Win a Waves audio package worth $2,200!

Why bone conduction headphones?

Published November 19, 2012 ABT News , Advanced Brain Technologies , The Listening Program Leave a Comment
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In my last post, I Can’t Stop Smiling I shared that we would be making a public announcement last Friday about a new audio technology coming from Advanced Brain Technologies.  The announcement has been made, and I’m so excited to share with everyone that the Waves™ multi-sensory audio system has arrived!

With Waves, we’ve re-imagined what’s possible. Our newest bone conduction headphone system is more effective than ever, and it has been custom-designed especially for The Listening Program®. With a larger bone conductor, a more powerful amplifier, and robust components, Waves’ gentle vibrations and pure sound will transport you from the moment you start listening.  They feel and sound incredible. You won’t want to take them off.

So, you may be wondering why bone conduction headphones?

Using the two natural modes of hearing — through your ears and through your head — delivers a deeper listening experience than conventional headphones can provide. Not only does the Waves system make your daily listening more enjoyable, it accelerates and expands the benefits of your listening practice.

 Benefits of Bone Conduction:

  • Supports stress reduction and regulation of the “fight or flight” response, to help achieve a state of calm and relaxed/alertness; especially helpful for people with sensory sensitivities.
  • Two modes of listening help improve sensory awareness, supporting brain functions responsible for posture, balance, muscle movement, and motor skills.
  • Using The Listening Program with combined bone and air conduction offers internal and external sound stimulation, which increases vocal awareness and supports the development and refinement of language and communication skills.

If you would like to experience The Listening Program with Waves or learn more please visit  http://advancedbrain.com/waves.

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