One of the things that we are focusing on with the finalization of the Infinity System is the concept of dual-task exercise. In general terms, dual-task exercise is the pairing of physical activity with cognitive training. This idea is rather simple in theory but it gets a bit more complex when put into practice.
The Foundation
Pairing physical and mental training is an emerging trend in physical therapy and is based on the concept of dual-task cost, something doctors and therapists use as a measure of someone’s cognitive abilities. Basically, cognitive impairment can be estimated and evaluated by noting any significant drop off in someone’s performance when asked to repeat a physical activity while engaged in simple cognitive tasks.
The Application
The task can be as simple as counting backwards, by 3s, from a random number while walking. Or in the case of our Infinity System, the task can be as complex as interacting with a virtual environment, solving puzzles, controlling movement, and completing game challenges. By choosing measurable data points of performance, such as average walking speed, and comparing someone’s normal data with their dual-task data, health professionals can potentially identify and predict cognitive decline or improvement.
The Future
So, the next step in this equation is using this concept to alter therapy and rehabilitation practices. A growing amount of research suggests that dual-task cost can be integrated into physical activity to potentially increase and improve a person’s cognitive function. Like the old adage “use it or lose it,” health professionals are experimenting with this idea as a means to exercise patients’ mental faculties.
The goal of the Infinity System is to provide the most immersive and adaptive platform for dual-task exercise. Our machine and programs based upon this idea are designed to be as entertaining as possible while simultaneously engaging as many areas of brain function, in as many different ways as possible.
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