INCREASE PERFORMANCE BY STIMULATING THE CEREBRAL CORTEX

Do you remember that scene from the Matrix where Neo wakes up after being plugged into a computer and says "I know Kung-Fu"? Don't panic, we're not downloading knowledge directly to our brains yet! However, the Halo Sport helmet is somewhat reminiscent of the idea: this technology promises to accelerate learning and training using transcranial stimulation.

Headphones are placed over the head that look like headphones, but inside have rubber picks. Electric impulses are transmitted through these spikes to the motor cortex of the brain. In principle, these impulses facilitate the reorganization of the connection between neurons to improve the efficiency of training. According to the helmet manufacturer, this will improve cognitive and physical abilities.

According to studies carried out by Halo Sport with members of the American ski jumping team, the power of their jumps had improved by 13% after only two weeks of testing! For cycling, a study carried out in 2019 claims of a performance improvement of 17%, and 15% in the case of racing.

Other studies show that transcranial stimulation improves mental performance, but since the technology is still new, the scientific community is still worried about possible side effects.

This neuron training is currently divided into three options: sports, left hand musical instrument and right hand musical instrument. The process already has a name: neuropriming. The helmet is controlled via a downloadable smartphone application. In the United States, some athletes and health professionals have already adopted the technology. Relay runners Mike Rodgers and Natasha Hastings and obstacle runner Michael Tinsley used technology, as did the Golden State Warriors team. Will we soon be talking about electronic doping? We’ll see!