TL;DR I am thrilled to see how brain activity changes based on various activities, It takes 10 seconds to recover cellphone message notification interruption and meditation simply works!
Recently I got hands on Neurosky’s TGAM module, its a single channel EEG device that can output various parameters like alpha, beta, gamma wave details along with proprietary meditation and attention signal strength.
Alpha waves being lowest frequency 3–8 Hz, beta waves which generated while thinking, problem solving etc. Meditation and attention signals are derived from underlying alpha, beta and gamma wave strengths.
With lots of initial hurdles I was able to get the module working with bluetooth and read data with python scripts. Later found EEG-Reader application on android play store that can read from bluetooth connection.
Next I was trying it with various activities to see how it impacts both meditation and attention values. Rapidly seeing around, fluctuates both values significantly. Then I tried lumosity game to see how it affects attention and meditation values.
As I was curious see how relaxed state would look like I was laying down on couch and recording waves and there was whats app ding notification for message. I did not open my eyes immediately, tried to ignore it and continued to relax. When I opened my eyes and checked graph it was interesting:
Though I knew notification sound disturbs but it was amazing to measure and see it takes Ten seconds interruption for every notification. Just to realize that its not a priority message and ignore it.
Later I was curious to see how an incoming call ring would affect. However when I asked my friend to call me and closed eyes trying to relax. As there was an expectation to receive call any time I could not get satisfactory relaxation state.
Next observation was quite interesting, Closing eye and laying down increases meditation level however it was not that stable. Any random thoughts moves level up and down. If you meditate* relaxation level increases significantly.
What I mean by meditate is really simple, take a deep breath and hold it for few seconds with eyes closed just say some word repeatedly.
