Introduction

Lumosity is an online brain training and neuroscience research company program developed by Lumos Labs, Inc., as part of the Human Cognition Project (HCP)^[3]. It consists of nearly 40 games in the areas of memory, attention, flexibility, speed of processing, and problem solving.

Below is a detailed analysis of this game roughly following Brian Winn's^[1] Design/Play/Experience framework, including:

• Learning
• Storytelling
• Gameplay
• User Experience
• Technology
• Assessment
• Conclusion

Learning

As a whole, Lumosity uses minigames to train five sections of the thinking mind, each of which is broken down into four aspects. A player can choose to train any combination of these sections and aspects, even omitting some or all entirely (the latter of which, predictably, does nothing in particular).

The five sections, and their aspects, are:

• Memory
  • Recalling the locations of objects
  • Learning new subjects quickly and accurately
  • Keeping track of several ideas at the same time
  • Remembering names after the first introduction
• Attention
  • Concentrating while learning something new
  • Improving productivity and precision at work or home
  • Maintaining focus on important tasks all day
  • Avoiding distractions
• Speed
  • Adapting to changing environments
  • Decision-making in time-sensitive situations
  • Reacting quickly
  • Speeding up cognitive processes
• Flexibility
  • Multi-tasking quickly and efficiently
  • Communicating clearly
  • Thinking outside the box
  • Avoiding errors
• Problem Solving
  • Determining the best course of action
  • Calculating figures in your head
  • Dissecting complex arguments
  • Making quick and accurate estimations

Storytelling

Lumosity does not have an overarching story. Certain minigames, such as Eagle Eye, give a goal beyond a high score -- in this case, compiling a bird scrapbook -- but none appear to be more complicated than necessary. However, the games are very well tailored to what they are designed to train and, ultimately, very short, so they do not diminish from lack of a story.

Gameplay

By its nature, the gameplay of Lumosity depends entirely on the minigame in question. Most of the games are locked out for free accounts, but those I was able to test had very simple interfaces, usually no more than a few adjacent keys or just the mouse. This lets the player focus on the exercise without having to worry about the actual input. Also, for games that involve levels, they increase their variable complexity by two units for every perfect level and decrease it by one for every mistake, ensuring that the player advances quickly to their limit but is never pushed too far.

While I cannot truly say whether the games actually train in the way they were intended, it is worth noting that Lumosity was developed with the guidance of several neuroscientists and other scientitsts.^[2]

User Experience

The minigames are very straightforward and, as previously stated, require a minimum of interface. It's also readily apparent how to get help or to advance. The displays are clean and rounded, making it easy on the eyes and easy to focus.

Technology

Lumosity is entirely browser-based (or app-based for smartphones) and seems to support at least the most popular browsers. Aside from Flash Player, I did not find it requiring any particular software or hardware. Overall, this makes it extremely accessible.

I only found a few severe limitations. First, it does not seem to have much compatibility with non-English language. Second, hough it does have an opt-out option for minigames requiring English fluency or due to colorblindness, all options and opt-outs require a paid account to actually implement. This is clearly part of their business strategy.

Assessment

Lumosity and, by extension, the Human Cognition Project, have been used in a number of researches and experiments, including use by Stanford, the University of New South Wales, Harvard, and UC Berkeley^[4].

Particular examples include:

• Kesler et. al found patients with Turner syndrome that used Lumocity showed enhanced math skills and cognitive performance. ^[5]
• The U.S. Navy used the Lumosity app as a "cognitive gym" to complement their physical training.^[6]

Conclusion

Overall, Lumosity is a fun series of mental exercise minigames. The pre-game help menu is sufficiently informative, the gameplay is surprisingly engaging, and the games are short enough to not get boring from their own simplicity. Lumosity (and the HCP) also serves as a measureable platform for cognitive experiments and exercises, which is crucial for both. The only major drawback is that it's really a subscription-based game, with, at the time of this writing, a promotional price of $6 a month for a year ($4.50/mo for two years at once) or a whopping $269.96 for a lifetime subscription.

References

1. Winn, Brian. The Design, Play and Experience Framework. In R. Ferdig (Ed.), Handbook of Research on Effective Electronic Gaming in Education. Hershey, PA: IGI Global, 2009, pp. 388-401.
2. Partners. Lumos Labs, Inc.
3. Lumosity Science - the Human Cognition Project. Lumosity
4. Kessler, Sarah. Brain Games Company Lumosity Is Business Up Front, Experiment In The Back End. Fast Company. August 28, 2012.
5. Kesler, SR et. al. Changes in frontal-parietal activation and math skills performance following adaptive number sense training: preliminary results from a pilot study. PugMed.org June 30 2011
6. Geron, Tomio. Lumosity Looks To Make Military Smarter With Navy Grant. Forbes. June 8, 2011

Lumosity

Serious Game Analysis for IMGD 4600

By Antonio Vincentelli

Developer:	Lumos Labs, Inc.
Publisher:	Self-published, but partner funded.
Released:	2007

Game Trailer

Play the Game (account required)