It is about improving lives by leveraging the voice to boost the brain.

Use you own voice to boost your brain with the help of Forbrain.

We Talk About Using Your Own Voice To Boost Your Brain

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How to Teach Phonological Awareness and Help Children Become Better Readers, Writers, Listeners, and Learners

Billions of dollars have been expended on research to discover the best methods, approaches, and ways for families to treat autism and other neuro developmental delays. Families are constantly on a quest to search for outside the box alternative methods of supporting themselves or their children. I am excited to talk about using Forbrain® as an approach to retraining the neurological progress of individuals.

Forbrain is a technology that improves communication skills through the user’s voice. While I was both curious and skeptical about this technique I embraced it with an open mind. After having used and thoroughly reviewing the product, I have not only changed my mind (but my brain as well!)

In my trials, I discovered that Forbrain stands to be a beneficial therapy for individuals of all ages. It uses a multimodal approach for augmenting the way you utilize expressive language! From trials on myself and with clients, I have experienced and seen immediate benefits and results. It has augmented and improved speech and sharpened awareness for enunciating and pronouncing words. Hearing your own voice through the audio-vocal loop is really helpful in adapting your pitch, volume and clarity control. I also like the fact that the equipment is comfortable, lightweight and has excellent sound quality. Clients have enjoyed the lightweight comfort of the headset.

I was happy with how individuals were better able to focus and it made them more aware of not only what they were saying, but also how they were saying it. I recommend to my clients that use Forbrain product for 30 minutes a day to experience its benefits to the fullest. Forbrain is sure to play a significant therapeutic role in the potential for helping children with autism, neurological disorders, and other special needs while also assisting in the restoration process for individuals who suffer brain-related traumas.

Because there is such a wide spectrum when treating autism and other neuro developmental delays, there isn’t one best model of treatment. Instead, we need to look at each person individually to determine the best therapy technique to retrain the brain. I believe that there is definitely a place for Forbrain in retraining the brain and improving communication. It is one of the many tools I use in my clinic. I challenge you to call today so we can help you to retrain your brain for optimal performance.

“Debbie Armstrong, S.N.H.S. dip. is the owner of BioMat 4 Autism”

This might be interesting for you.

Short-Term Memory: Use it or Lose It

This device promises you that you will be able to hear your voice in the same way that others hear you. The Forbrain device is actually a set of bone-conducting headphones. These work by vibrating sound through the skull rather than through the ears.

The raison d’etre for the device is to teach your brain how to better process how you speak. When a person hears themselves speak normally, the sound has resonated through their head and reached the ears via bone conduction, rather than air conduction. Sound travels through facial bones about ten times faster than it does through the air, which is why a person’s voice sounds different to them when they hear it on a recording. The brain typically puts all of the information it receives together via sensory integration, which is a crucial part of phonological awareness, or the comprehension of language.

The device helps to improve one’s speech. Simply speak through the headset a few minutes a day and this will somehow improve your speech. Forebrain uses transducers that are placed on the facial bones just outside the ears. The sound resonates through the facial bones, which the brain then processes via sensory integration into crystal clear speech.

After a few weeks of using this, we pleasantly surprised by how our own voices focused us better and made us more aware of not only what we were saying, but how we were saying it.

It’s a great tool for helping us speak better and could help those with speech impediments or other problems.

Welcome to probably one of the most interesting reviews I’ve ever been asked to do, from time to time we get asked to test those unusual products that – well don’t fit into any particular category. And the Forbrain is one of those odd products, however, I’d not call it odd at all. The idea behind the product is to stimulate the brain using bone conduction transducers (I actually had to go and read about this) because I thought this particular product deserved an extra super in-depth review based on science…!

I’m actually going to test this product, well by simply reading aloud the work on this website and as reviews require proofreading. And even reading my own work, now it’s quite a simple piece of technology in my opinion. Essentially you are transmitting your voice through a filter which then gets turned into “vibrations”, the best way of describing this feeling and sensation? Almost like everything you say is positively reinforced into your brain. Basically, you can hear what you say as if it was inside your head, this entire process is somewhat difficult to explain in words.

Closer Look:

Included inside the box, you’ll instantly be greeted with a gorgeous carry case. You get a plethora of manuals and guides on how to use the product. Other than these pieces of paper? You don’t really get much else, well other than the “Forbrain”. I must admit the carry case was a really nice touch, especially when you consider the staggering price of this product! I’d be careful when carrying the product around on your daily activities

Testing the product was slightly odd? I’ve reviewed all sorts of products. From computer cases to portable batteries, but never anything quite like this. I even had to devise a SUPER AWESOME TESTING METHOD. The makers of the product recommended to me short ten-minute sessions, but I quickly dismissed that and I’ve been wearing the Forbrain until battery drain. Whether this was using the product whilst singing to music, even reading work, this was the only subjective way to review the product.

Learn and Speech:

I’ve actually always had problems working on my speech! And making the words really roll off my tongue, so this was actually a pretty cool product for me to test. Basically, if the product could perhaps help me a little the test would be a success. However, this product really has quite a few “advertised” uses aside from that. But I’m sure everyone is eager to find out my findings after testing the product for a few weeks, so shall we jump in?

Science alert! If you are wondering how this product works? Well, it quite simply allows you to hear your voice via the vibrations of the bone conductors (essentially canceling out the use of your ears). This amplifies all the mistakes, basically meaning you can work on those mistakes. However, this is a really cool bit! Because you are speaking and listening, this enables a more fluid way for the brain to process information (or so “Forbrain” say).

I actually wondered what this product had in terms of application? It’s hard to give a specific application because the possibilities are endless. You simply skip out the middle man and push information straight into your brain without external distractions, it could help hundreds of people with diseases that affect the brain.

Conduction Technology:

However this technology isn’t anything new to the world, some hearing aids can even be implanted in this fashion. In fact, you can even get headphones that work with the same technology, which means you can hear the music and no one else can…

Because this is such an odd product to test, I used the advertised uses as a benchmark for results. And these are my thoughts and opinions on the product. I’m not a scientist (although that would be cool). These should give you a better idea of the product if you perhaps want to buy it, or maybe you are interested in conduction technology?

Reading and Writing:

I feel this was actually one of the strongest uses of this product. It’s odd when you read to yourself with the Forbrain, it’s like you are connected to the words and it makes it all that easier to get into the flow of writing. At the same time, it helps you work on the way you speak. This was one of the main things I did with the Forbrain (being a writer).

Memory:

Due to the way this product taps directly into your audio system, apparently, it can help with short term memory. I couldn’t begin to fathom the science? However, I did start to feel whilst using it I was remembering things more clearly that I’d written, However, long term use is probably the best test for this product perhaps returning in a few months time?

Attention and Ability:

When you use this device, you really do get an odd sense of serenity. It’s oddly very relaxing. I found it slightly easier to concentrate on the task at hand, however, it’s hard to test because you’d really have to measure over a longer period of time to see an improvement. Personally, though I found whilst writing and reading my work I felt somewhat more engrossed in the task.

Speech Pronunciation:

I would have to say, this is one of those products best-selling points! Now the next point I was going to mention was motivational speaking, however, I’ll wrap these two points together. I noticed a HUGE difference in the way I was speaking and processing words. Simply because I was now realizing some of the mistakes I was making, for instance, speaking too fast, or maybe not putting enthusiasm into my words. So when I look at this product? It’s great for those who might have problems speaking, maybe even learning a new language, or simply rehearsing for that BIG SPEECH!

The Innovative Product:

Now with a product such as this, it’s obviously so hard to benchmark, but I’d like to say for the record using the product on a day to day basis. I noticed the above changes. I even found myself talking out loud without using the device, simply because I was so used to it.  This actually affected my writing somewhat because if you speak whilst writing you do get somewhat engrossed.

So now we’ve got that part of the “testing” out of the way, what don’t I like about the product. I think the price tag instantly springs to mind – which could be somewhat lower. However the technology is pretty sound, and the build quality is on par, aside from the Microphone that sometimes confused my breathing into loud vibrations (however, I’d play around with the positioning, as I solved this issue). I’d still say the price tag is a huge ask, again though? It’s subjective.

If you’re looking for a product, that will help you work on all the problem areas the Forbrain was designed for. I can’t really recommend on medical level – whether it would solve your speech problems and help you improve your workflow, I really have no idea? But for the everyday guy or girl, I think it’s a nice product to have tucked away for when you want to work on your writing, reading, and even doing memory training.

Help in improving Learning Skills:

I feel a product like this is so hard to break down and say, yeah this really works! However, I would say it helped me in improving the way my work flowed, and also helped me practice for a few videos. So it’s an interesting tool, for the writer, as you can read back your own work. I think that if you have the cash to spend? I’d give it a try. I’m no scientist, so I can’t comment on the claims the company makes however for me? in the short period of time I used it, forbrain has improved a few problem areas!

Some sources to help you with all the science stuff! 

• https://www.forbrain.com/learn-more/scientific-evaluation
• http://www.oticonmedical.com/Medical/YourTreatment/About%20bone%20conduction/How%20does%20it%20work.aspx#.VSZEiCjF_x1
• https://www.facebook.com/forbrainLTD

My take on the scientific claims from what I can gather? Essentially the brain conductors (basically pads that turn your voice into vibrations which are then transmitted via your skull) skip out the middle man. Because you are skipping out processing the outer ear and going straight to the inner ear, you basically get a clearer tone of voice submitted into your brain. Which essentially boosts your brain’s ability to process the information in one loop, speaking and hearing your own voice stimulate your brain in this sense, is supposed to positively reinforce every word.

However – all of this does come at an incredibly large price tag. But who knows! If the product helps a few people is the price tag really such a big deal? I’ve decided not to give this product any ratings, as we really can’t. It’s a product that I feel has helped me, but we have no benchmarks. However – I found nothing but positive ratings for the product. But I think I’ll revisit the topic further down the line when I’ve perhaps had a few months of testing the product.

Record your own voice and play it back and the chances are that you will be very surprised with how you sound. When we speak normally part of what we hear is transmitted through our heads which changes the tones and frequencies slightly. The Forbrain takes this principle and externalizes it by using a microphone to pick up your speech, filtering external noises and then playing it back to you via two bone conduction speakers that do not block your ears.

TO VIEW THE FULL REVIEW CLICK HERE

The design of the Forbrain is simple if a little odd-looking. Take a piece of plastic and bend it around the back of the head. On one side attach a battery, controls, a sound filter and a microphone on a boom. On both sides attach bone conduction transducers for sound and there you have it.

So we know what the Forbrain does – why would I want to use one?

The company behind the Forbrain makes a number of very bold claims about its use. They say that the dynamic filter lets you retrain your sensory system to more efficiently integrate sounds. This has a number of effects – the biggest of which is that your voice becomes clearer and more distinct as does your ability to listen. It also can aid with reading, writing, verbal and short-term memory, attention span, concentration and focus, speech pronunciation and focus, motivation and self-esteem.

So does it do all of these things? That is a very difficult question to answer in a short review. The concepts behind the way the Forbrain works are reasonably well documented for some specific speech therapy, in particular for the treatment of stuttering. This is called Altered Auditory Feedback or AAF and has been around in different forms and fashions since the 1970s. There is less information specific to do with the Forbrain. Sound For Life – the company behind the Forbrain mentions a study with a single participant at the University of Barcelona that has been commissioned to look at EEG readings of a user of the Forbrain before and after use over one week, but this has not yet published and with only one participant is too small to prove anything.

Vocal Clarity and Help in Writing:

Scientifically then I have to say that the Forbrain’s claims are unproven. This does not necessarily mean that they are incorrect or mistaken, just that we have no evidence either way. Sound for Life does list a number of testimonials from customers, the family of customers and notable personalities including some medical professionals, so that may help some.

I am not personally able to check the validity of the claims and can only offer my personal experience. After using the Forbrain regularly with their recommended exercises I can come to a few personal and subjective conclusions. I have a tendency to mumble and stutter, particularly when tired and with the Forbrain, I was able to pick up on this which helped – enough that I plan to keep on using it regularly in the hope of a further increase in vocal clarity.

The second big use I found for it was in helping with writing and in particular with proofreading. I read an article out loud after I have finished my first draft and again just before posting. The Forbrain lets me hear the post as if it was being read by a third party which in turn gave me a better perspective on it.

Requirements

The Forbrain charges via micro USB port and a cable are included. I have been using it regularly for a month for around half an hour a day and the charge seems to last around two weeks or 8 hours.

Vision

The Forbrain has a single small LED on the front of the battery section. This indicates being in use with sufficient charge (blue) or being in need of charge or charging (red). The LED could be covered up if you wanted but when you are wearing it its position makes it impossible to see.

The LED only indicates if it switched on or charging and as such even if you cannot see it a little common sense – plug it in when it is out of charge and unplug 3 hours or so later means it is not required. There are three control buttons on the base of the battery pack, a circular power button and two volume up and down buttons. The volume buttons have inscribed + and – whilst the power button is smooth.

The Forbrain is completely accessible if you have any form of visual hypersensitivity or photophobia or conversely if you have any form of visual loss.

Hearing

The Forbrain uses a set of bone transducers produced by US company Aftershokz. If you have not used bone transducers in the past you will be in for a surprise. Instead of fitting into the ear they rest snugly on the bone in front of it. They vibrate and vibrate the skull slightly to transmit noise to the inner ear. It means that your ears remain open and the sounds are often of a slightly lower frequency. Bone conduction is often used in hearing aids but is also used in more specialized applications such as underwater communications for scuba divers and in very high noise environments.

This means that the Forbrain is surprisingly accessible to those with hearing issues. If you have partial hearing loss, single-sided deafness conductive hearing loss or some mixed hearing loss it should still work for you. Indeed it might actually be more valuable to you in some ways as it would let you hear your own voice as others hear you which is an even bigger deal if you have hearing problems.

Input and touch

Once switched on and placed on your head the only input that you make to the Forbrain is via the microphone. This is optimally used placed at about 3 cm from the mouth.

Controls

The Forbrain has a total of three buttons on the bottom of the battery pack. They all have slight edges around them which make it unlikely that they can be pressed by accident but do not make it harder to press them. I found that once I had set the volume I very rarely had to adjust it. If there was a lot of background noise that required adjustment the chances were that it would I would get too much feedback noise to get good use out of the Forbrain and turning up the volume did not help much.

Movement and Mobility

There are no strength or mobility requirements associated with the Forbrain. If you are able to wear it and speak you can use it, although in the worst case you might need help to put it on.

Ease of Use

There are two ways of interpreting ease of use with the Forbrain. The physical act of switching it on and putting it on your head is as simple as it could possibly be. The only problem I have seen is one of the people who I had to try it on tried to put the bone transducers over her ears rather than against her bones in front of them.

The recommended exercises are also quite straightforward. I found that they consisted mainly of making sure that you were in a relaxed ergonomic seating position and then reading the text.

Cognitive, Language and Math

The Forbrain works by repeating your voice back to you and allowing you to adjust your diction. On this level, it needs very basic language skills and no math skills at all. Most of the recommended exercises have you reading text so a basic level of reading is needed for them.

Social Interaction

As an adult user, no social interaction required with the use of the Forbrain. The only possible exception is that if you were using it to practice for a speech, for example, there would be an expectation of actually needing to stand up in front of people at some point.

Allergy

The Forbrain used hard plastic whilst the transducers have a rubber-like surface. The transducers need to have a snug fit to your bones to give good sound and as such must rest on your skin. It is unlikely the Forbrain will cause allergy issues for the vast majority of users.

Trigger warnings & age ratings

No trigger warnings associated with the Forbrain. It has no specific age ratings and anyone can use including child. The only restriction on age is a physical one – it has to fit snuggly to your head for the bone conductors to work. My four year old tried it on and found it a little large so the minimum age seems to be about 5 or 6.

Manufacturer

The manufacturer of the Forbrain is a Hong Kong-based company called Sound For Life. Sound For Life has a number of branch offices worldwide and specializes in products that support learning via sound.

Price

RRP: $359 or 279 Euros. This is about £245 based on current exchange rates.
Retailer: Forbrain website

Cost-Effective

The Forbrain is not a cheap piece of kit, but if you are looking for one of its effects it is not an impossible price. It is superb and looks durable and is likely to last well, particularly in the extremely padded case. It also comes with a two-year warranty and 30-day money back guarantee.

• Forbrain headset
• USB to the micro USB charging cable
• The case for the Forbrain with inserts to hold the USB cable and documentation
• Forbrain quick start guide
• Forbrain guide to exercise
• User manual

The Forbrain is a unique piece of equipment which I cannot find any equivalent for available anywhere online. The hardware is cleverly designed and manufactured and should last well. At this point, the scientific proof for the Forbrain’s claims is not indicative either way but there is a significant amount of anecdotal accounts which support its use. I personally found it useful for my stuttering and for using it to review and edit text.

Recommended for public speakers, those who need to memorize facts such as students and for stutterers.

VIEW THE FULL  FORBRAIN ARTICLE HERE

When you speak, you make tiny corrections in your voice based on what you hear via air and bone conduction. This natural process of listening, processing, and reacting to your voice known as auditory feedback. It’s an important part of sensory integration. When this process is disrupted, it can affect attention, motor timing, and self-esteem.

A new product, called Forbrain, claims to harness the power of this instinctive process to help users improve speech, attention, memory, focus, and a host of other sensory functions. How? By talking out loud while wearing the Forbrain headset, for as little as 15 minutes a day.

Forbrain consists of headphones, a high-quality microphone, and a “dynamic filter” that reacts to the intensity of the user’s voice. By filtering the voice with alternating contrasts, the filter emphasizes long vowels and the beginnings of words – sounds that heavily involved in the construction of language. The brain naturally leans toward these sounds, improving pronunciation and quality of the voice. The headphones sit on your temples, amplifying bone conduction of your voice — leaving your ears free to perceive other external sounds.

The company behind Forbrain, Sound for Life Ltd., claims the technology is best to improve attention in children and adults. If you (or your child) struggle with attention problems or having sensory integration. You can become overwhelmed or overstimulated by external noise, causing you to lose focus when others are speaking. By making the user more aware of — and more in-tune with — their own voice, Forbrain increases your attentiveness to what you’re saying. Then, as your ears become more skilled at picking up external sounds. Forbrain trains your brain to focus more efficiently on what others are saying. It is boosting attention and listening skills.

The simplicity of Forbrain’s program gives it an advantage over other products that claim to have the same benefits. Instead of relying on a series of incrementally more difficult exercises that the user must master, Forbrain is straightforward. The success of the program is based on the user’s motivation and willingness to use it for 15 minutes daily.

Read More: Parents review on how Forbrain helped their kids with Reading and Speech Fluency

The ASHA Convention is the premier annual professional education event. It is most noteworthy, this exhibition is for speech-language pathologists, audiologists, and speech, language, and hearing scientists. Moreover, this exhibition is bringing together approximately 15,000 attendees. Also, this Annual Convention provides unparalleled opportunities to hear the latest research and gain new skills and resources.

Forbrain® will be present among the more than 300 exhibitors showcasing their products at the convention. So, Look out for our banner!!

This convention was held from 9 to 11 November at the Los Angeles Convention Center, 1201 South Figueroa Street, Los Angeles, California 90015.

VISIT FORBRAIN® AT BOOTH 416!

For more details check here.

Read More: Behavior Therapy to Getting Rid of ADHD

AOTA is at the heart of the ever-expanding profession of occupational therapy, bringing companies face-to-face with professionals who fuel the growth of the industry and improve the lives of millions.

An estimated 7,000 occupational therapy clinicians, educators, and students gathered last April to attend the American Occupational Therapy Association’s 98^th Annual Conference & Expo and Forbrain was there as an Exhibitor!

Occupational therapy practitioners help people of all ages to be as independent as possible, despite illness, injury, or mental disability. Thus, Occupational therapy is the only profession that addresses the things clients want and need to do through the therapeutic use of everyday activities (occupations).

The AOTA’s Expo Hall is the world’s largest gathering of occupational therapy companies representing products, professional development, and employment opportunities. Many of the more than 350 vendors and 450 booths had interactive displays of the latest advances in technology and rehabilitation.

The Forbrain’s headset is user-friendly. You can use it at home or in practice, and/or as part of a therapy plan. It requires no attainment of a certain level of performance. It is ideal for struggling learners or individuals with cognitive issues. Most noteworthy, it uses bone conduction which transmits the sound of your own voice 10 times faster. Thus you get with greater clarity than air conduction and its dynamic filter enhances specific frequencies of speech. The brain is then constantly surprised and challenged to be forced to try to anticipate as well as cope with the changes and help increase memory, attention, speech and sensory integration.

Its protocol is easy to follow. Use Forbrain between 15 minutes to 30 minutes a day depending on age. During a timeframe of 6 to 10 weeks. You can repeat the program for multiples times with a minimum of 4 weeks in between.

Attention: Forbrain dynamic filter trains the brain to be more attentive. It improves not only attention but auditory processing and sensory integration.

Speech: Forbrain helps people to improve speech fluency, pronunciation, sound discrimination, and rhythm, for clearer and more effective communication.

Memory: Forbrain helps people to improve short-term memory, which impacts such skills as reading, writing and even chatting.

We are proud to announce that Forbrain has received The Parent’s Pick Award. This award is in the category of “Best Educational Products for Elementary Student”.

Parents’ Picks Award recognition is more than just a seal of approval for Forbrain. It signifies that a product has passed rigorously evaluated against stringent criteria. It also stands out among hundreds of similar products from around the world. Products that receive Parents’ Picks Awards are quality products that parents and professionals can trust.

With over 45 years of experience in the industry, Parent’s Pick Award is the go-to source for parents thus professionals seeking the best products for their children and families.