Lumosity.com Offers brain training, workout & fitness program
Lumosity - Scientifically designed Brain Games and Exercises
Excerpted from the website:
- Lumos Labs - Who we are.
- Lumos Labs is a cognitive neuroscience research and development company that builds software tools for improving brain health and performance. Lumosity is the first general brain fitness program from Lumos Labs. We specialize in creating innovative applications of the latest developments in brain science in order to help people lead better lives. Since its formation in the spring of 2005, Lumos Labs has been consistently focused on researching and developing the most effective cognitive training applications.
- Lumosity is a scientifically designed brain training program. Based on the concept of neuroplasticity - the brain's ability to learn and physically adapt given appropriate stimuli - brain games and brain exercises are engineered to train and improve: memory, attention, processing, cognitive control.
- In a randomized and controlled study, the Lumosity brain training program was shown to significantly improve memory and attention. This research was presented at the Society for Neuroscience Conference in 2006 and at the Bay Area Neuroscience Gathering 2007.
Deceptive Marketing Practices
Lumosity.com claims to be free on nearly every page, yet actually costs anywhere from $15/month to $80/year. Pricing information is only available after you have created an account, and information about what your free account can do is similarly restricted. Marketing materials around the web and sent via email after you've signed up seem to imply that free accounts are limited the way most free accounts are: a limited number of use per some time period. In actuality, free accounts are able to try 3 exercises and then are locked out of using any of the site.
Similarly, their iPhone/iPad application claims to be free, and makes no mention of its limitations. Only after installing it, or in the comments, do you learn that it is limited to a single run of a single exercise before you must sign up. Pricing information for signup is also not shown in the application's description.
