Nearly 30 years of science and research from world-renowned universities and companies have gone into the development of the Thinkie system.
No other brain training system can tell you how hard your brain is working. Simply play and colors indicate how you’re doing, in real-time.
Set daily, weekly, and monthly goals to earn Thinkie points. Check your Brain Age improvements over time.
The Thinkie app measures the intensity of your training by measuring your brain’s increase in blood flow, and monitor the effectiveness by tracking your cognitive performance.
Follow the real-time color coded signals during your training session to find the best way to engage your brain.
Check your brain age regularly to track your progress. You can expect to see changes after regular use for 4 weeks.
fNIRS technology works by measuring near-infrared light and its passage through the brain based on oxygen levels in hemoglobin. The Thinkie app interprets changes in cerebral blood flow volume in the brain as increases or decreases in neural activity.
These measurements tell us how much activity is happening in the brain at any given time on a continuous feedback loop. By detecting these ongoing changes in oxygenated blood flow, the Thinkie sensor provides real-time data reflecting your brain's engagement.
At the end of each brain training session, Thinkie reports back how much brain activity you achieved during that session's cognitive training, with your Brain Score representing the average activity every second.
Thinkie gives important feedback on what activities were most effective in activating high brain activity for you specifically, taking the guesswork out of the equation and leading to much more efficient brain training. Remember—results vary because everyone's brain is unique!
One time sensor payment for the rest of your life!
Thinkie is not just another app. It’s a proven brain training system that helps you protect your memory, sharpen your focus, and track your Brain Age in real time.
Backed by Neuroscience. 10,000+ Sessions. Loved by Users Worldwide
The Thinkie sensor detects brain blood oxygen levels safely and non-invasively.
Real-time feedback shows focus and mental effort.
Thinkie’s visual feedback and data insights help you get more out of every session.
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Scientific studies have demonstrated a correlation between increased blood flow to the brain’s pre-frontal cortex, which occurs during increased brain activity. This increased blood flow due to activity is scientifically linked to improved cognition – this is how Thinkie helps rejuvenate your brain. Thinkie games have been designed to be challenging and enjoyable while increasing your brain activity.
That's on purpose! Dr. Kawashima, world-renowned neuroscientist and developer of the Thinkie brain games, says "My research shows speed with accuracy is more effective than complexity. The games seem simple, but they are not. They are designed by neuroscientists who study what activities lead to more blood flow to the brain, and therefore work the brain more. Although it seems counterintuitive, simpler games are more effective for users of any age."
Not usually, because everyone is unique, but you can try placing the sensor on both sides to see if your Thinkie score changes. Left-handed people use the right brain more for manual tasks, and vice versa for right-handed people, but brain lateralization is more complex than this simple dichotomy would imply.
Conduct the "Brain Age" assessment once a month to calculate your brain age based on scientific and historical data. We recommend a monthly cadence to measure brain age accurately, as the result may fluctuate and give an inaccurate reading if done too frequently.
Yes – orientation of the sensor does not matter, so long as it is not blocked by hair or anything else.
According to research conducted by our partner NeU, there is evidence of brain age rejuvenation of an average 3.7 years among individuals who used Thinkie for 3 months.
Thinkie's technology is built on nearly 30 years of scientific research and development. Extensive research and study were put into the product to ensure that it works (over nearly 3 decades, to be exact). Just remember, do not let your hair get in between your forehead and the sensor.
Brain activity is measured by the changes in blood flow in your brain in comparison to the baseline established during the 15-second pre-game calibration. Thinkie points represent the highest score achieved during the game out of a 100-point maximum. A higher number indicates a greater and more significant change in blood flow volume.
The fNIRS sensor is designed to measure blood flow in the prefrontal cortex in your brain, which is above your left eyebrow. This is the part of your brain that contributes to human executive function and cognitive capabilities such as memory and focus.
The Thinkie sensor utilizes fNIRS technology, which uses near-infrared light irradiation to detect the presence of hemoglobin in the brain based on changes in light throughput measured through the skin. These changes indicate alterations in cerebral blood flow volume, which in turn reflect changes in neural activity. For detailed information, please see this article.
As a rough guideline, we recommend using Thinkie for:
- 5 to 10 minutes a day
- 3 days a week
- 30 days
The primary goal is to achieve the daily goal of 270 Thinkie points over the course of several days each week, and to continue that practice for at least 1 month.
Research from NeU (a sister company to Thinkie) suggests that higher training frequency correlates with improvement in brain age and a longer-term rejuvenation effect.
The Thinkie Sensor does not stimulate brain activity. Instead, you do -- it is your own effort when playing the game that stimulates your brain. The sensor only measures brain activity (blood flow) while you are using Thinkie.
The Thinkie Sensor is absolutely safe. The infrared light on the sensor is weaker than the signal sent from your television remote control. It is non-invasive and only measures changes in blood flow within the brain. These measurements are how you know your brain training is working.
Thinkie is not a medical device and is not meant to cure any particular condition. However, our research shows that dedicated use of Thinkie can improve your cognitive abilities and overall brain wellness.
Not at all! You don’t have to beat or win the games -- just try your best. The most important thing is to increase your brain activity while playing the games.
You don’t have to beat or win the games. In fact, your Thinkie score is unrelated to how well you performed during play. More important is that you just try your best, as this is how you “exercise” your brain. The harder you work and the more often you play, the greater the benefit.
We are a new company whose mission is to advance the way the world views, understands, and improves its cognitive health.
We are a Seattle-based start-up owned by Mitsui Corporation, one of the largest companies in Japan.
This usually results from one of two possible causes:
It’s also worth mentioning that both of these factors may be occurring simultaneously to differing degrees. Per Dr. Kawashima, the creator of Thinkie’s brain games, actual brain activity is often different from what we perceive. We recommend you use Thinkie multiple times, playing different games each time, to better understand your brain’s tendencies and learn how to maximize your results.
The Thinkie system does not collect any type of sensitive personal data; it only measures blood flow to the prefrontal cortex. Each user chooses a username for their account, and each account has a unique identifier. The account name and its unique identifier are used only to track your Thinkie sessions and scores and to personalize your experience.
We know that better cognitive health = better overall wellness for older adults and for anyone!