What is a Light and Sound Machine / Mind Machine?
What are the features of a typical Light and Sound Machine?
What is Biofeedback?
What is Galvanic Skin Response (GSR)?
How do I use a light and sound system?
Do I need a computer to use a Light and Sound Machine?
Is Light and Sound Relaxation for me?
Why do Light and Sound Machines work?
What are the medical uses of a Light and Sound system?
What are the states of consciousness and how do they differ?
Who can benefit from this technology?
What happens when I have a session?
What is achieved by being in these states of mind?
How important is the sound?
What are 'Binaural Beats'?
What is Wavetable Cross fading? 
What are AudioStrobe CDs?
Medical Disclaimer

What is a Light and Sound Machine / Mind Machine?

A Light and Sound Machine / Mind Machine is a microprocessor controlled device designed to help promote relaxation (creates mood changing effects through the use of light and sound stimulation).

What are the features of a typical system?

A system consists of a light and sound unit, stereo head phones, and stimulation lightframes (glasses). Built-in light and sound sessions direct the stimulation synthesis, creating a carefully composed sequence of rhythmic light and sound patterns. The tone, frequency, pitch and other parameters of the light and sound stimulation vary the effect, just as different styles of music do.

What is Biofeedback?

The patterns of our response to emergencies probably emerged during the time when all humans faced actual physical threats to their survival. Although the "threats" we now live with are seldom physical, the body still reacts as if they were.

Actual and perceived stressful events can produce strong emotions, which arouse certain physical responses from the sympathetic nervous system - the network of nerve tissues that helps prepare the body to meet emergencies by "flight or fight." Some of us are more sensitive to the flight-or-fight response than others.

When we sense danger, our bodies release stress hormones, and our heart rate, blood pressure, and muscle tension increase. While this response is useful when we really are in danger and need to respond, it can be a problem if we do not learn how to respond to ordinary stresses in a healthy way and can lead to feeling chronically "stressed."

Behavior, thoughts, and feelings influence our whole mind/body system. Individual physical responses to stress can become habitual. When the body is repeatedly aroused, one or more functions may become permanently overactive. Become more aware of your responses, and you can be more comfortable and in control - you can learn to change inappropriate reactions.

What is Galvanic Skin Response (GSR)?

GSR: Fluctuations in the skin's electrical resistance often associated with emotional states. The ThoughtStream™ personal GSR biofeedback system measures tiny, rapid fluctuations in skin moisture associated with the degree of arousal via a compact palm sensor presents these changes to you by both audio and visual means. You learn to lower the pitch of a sound heard through headphones or make the LED's on the display console turn from red to green. For more comprehensive training use the included Mental Games multimedia software to fine-tune your ability to relax and focus at the same time. 

How do I use a light and sound system?

To use a light and sound system, put on the headphones and glasses, close your eyes, sit back and listen to the pulsating sound and watch the flickering lights through your eyelids. The sound pulsates because it is turned on and off (like striking a note on the piano repeatedly) or because of beats or binaural beats. The flickering lights, seen through closed eyelids, create moving, colored, dynamic patterns (visuals) that will amaze you the first time you experience them. You can move your eyes and change the effect, you can concentrate on the patterns and change what they seem to be doing. Some people report seeing visions in the patterns as the imagination is inspired to work. The stimulation takes over your two main sensory inputs, and not surprisingly has an effect on your mental state. Music has been doing this for centuries, without the assist from coordinated flickering lights.

A beginning user should experience a session regularly (every day or close to that) for the first few weeks. Don't overdo it -- an hour a day is a lot. Intermittent use is not effective until you have learned how to respond to the stimulation.

Light and sound systems are used as tools by many professional therapists. They can be used safely by untrained persons for relaxation, learning enhancement, meditation and many other purposes but not for relief from any medical condition.

Do I need a computer to use a Light and Sound Machine?

No, all of our Mind Machines come complete with preset sessions.  However the more advanced models (i.e. Procyon, Proteus, InnerPulse, and the Nova Pro 100) come with cables and software to connect to a computer.

Is Light and Sound Relaxation for me?

If you are searching for relaxation, the elusive moments of calmness and clarity, for a quick break in a hectic life, or you are interested in self improvement then a Light and Sound Machine is for you.  These tools are a fresh approach that has worked for many others and will most likely work for you. Your mind and body deserve to be calm and stress free.

Why do Light and Sound Machines work?

Perhaps better questions are: "Why do we enjoy music... why is a flickering flame hypnotic?" Light and Sound Machines / Mind Machines  are the technological synthesis of centuries of exploration and a few years of neurological experiments. Light and Sound Machines / Mind Machines  blank out the complex visual and auditory stimulation the mind is constantly receiving and replaces it with very simple, rhythmic stimulation. The basic rhythms of the mental processes change in response. This is a safe and effective way to get your mind in a different place. People that meditate spend years learning how to gain voluntary control over these same rhythms. Think of it as the mental equivalent of stretching the muscles. The changed mental rhythms are temporary. When a session is over you will quickly regain the mental state for everyday living (don't go out and drive a car immediately after a session). Spending time in the changed state can enhance your outlook on the day. The effects are cumulative as you learn to reach deeper levels of relaxation easier and faster.

What are the medical uses of a Light and Sound system?

Some of our customers have reported that light and sound machines have helped them with  focus, concentration, learning, creativity, energy, clarity, visualization and peak performance.  However our products are designed for vocational and recreational purposes. No medical claims are made for our products, expressed or implied. They are not medical devices and should not be used for the relief of any medical condition. Our products are not intended for the replacement of any medical or psychological treatment. Our products are not intended to affect the structure or any function of the human body.  Medical Disclaimer

What are the states of consciousness and how do they differ?

Why does the article you read in the morning remain in your head all day long?
It is because in the morning, delta and theta waves are still active, then alpha and Beta waves are released for daily activities.

Why do you fall asleep when you ride the subway?
This is because the regular rhythm of the wheel stimulates theta waves that cause light sleep.

Why do babies fall asleep quicker upon the sound of a lullaby?
This is because the lullaby mothers sing to the babies stimulates delta waves that cause deep
sleep.

Who can benefit from this technology?

Light and sound machines can enhance the work of physicians, psychologists, therapists, body builders, any harried professionals, as well as the individual experimenter who wishes to explore altered states of consciousness, awareness expansion and sensory stimulation.

What happens when I have a session?

With special Lightframes over your closed eyes and with headphones over your ears, you are immersed in colorful geometric patterns and entrancing sounds. The light and sound pulse rate shifts from state to state as the session progresses; brain wave activity will follow the pulse rate of the machine and fall into synch with the changes. 

What is achieved by being in these states of mind?

The following are some of the areas being explored by users of these machines: psychological stress relief, deep relaxation, assistance in falling asleep, memory improvement, to increase learning, stabilizing emotions, to increase intellectual focus, lucid dreaming, substance abuse reduction, sensory stimulation, and  increased physical energy. While some of these benefits have been substantiated by research studies, these machines are experimental and results will vary from person to person.

How important is the sound?

The entrainment mechanism is both visual and aural. Sound and music have been used for centuries in may cultures to manipulate consciousness. Drums, chants, and environmental sounds like wind and rain all provide strong mental pictures and associations. Our products incorporate the most sophisticated sound generation circuitry of any light and sound device, employing digital synthesizers to generate complex wave forms, rich two- -and three- note harmonies, and moving audio sculptures.  Sound is especially important as a means for blocking external distractions, and pulsed audio waveforms can help reduce distracting thoughts via patterned stimuli. Binaural beat frequencies can induce brainwave activity at the beat frequencies in some cases, which further assists in accessing certain states of awareness. Generally speaking, the audio component is much less important than the visual, since a large part of our brain (about 40%) is involved with vision. If you are using other forms of audio input, such as various forms of spoken word (affirmations, NLP, etc.) the importance of the audio increases in the overall experience.

What are 'Binaural Beats'?

Using two sound synthesizers and by specifying slightly different sound frequencies for the left and right channels, it is possible to induce a third frequency which is the difference between the left and right in the mind of the user. This is known as a binaural beat frequency generation. The perceived beat frequency is especially useful as an entrainment tool when paired with pulsing lights. 

LED Differences - descriptions of LED Lightframe color choices.

TruWhite™ glasses:

In early 1998, white LEDs became available, due to a new manufacturing process involving phosphorescent dyes and luminance conversion.  The true white spectrum Lightframes™ take the stimulation to a deeper and more intensive level. The TruWhite™ glasses received rave reviews in initial testing. The name TruWhite™ reflects the experience and the fact that the white LEDs make incandescent "white" lights look quite yellow. The advantage of the full spectrum white light, combined with the fast response time of LEDs, make a very effective light and sound stimulation source. Put the TruWhite™ glasses on... close your eyes ...and see just about every color imaginable.

What is Wavetable Cross fading? 

The waveform, pitch and etc. can change from segment to segment and to avoid a startling "hop" from one to the next, it smoothly mixes them together at the segment boundaries; this is called "cross fading".

What are AudioStrobe CDs?

Audiostrobe is a development in the creation of altered mind states and brainwave rhythms. Audiostrobe detects the presence of sound frequencies and converts them into pulsed emissions of light. The Audiostrobe codes causes the LEDs in the light frames (glasses) to flash. The user has his eyes closed during a session but they nevertheless detect a myriad of kaleidoscopic colors.  Audiostrobe CDs can be played on any compact disc player.  The flashing lights will not be observed unless combined with an Audiostrobe decoder.  All iProducts' mind machines have Audiostrobe decoders built in!

Medical Disclaimer:

"Light and Sound Systems" or "Mind Machines" have been on the market for years. Thousands of users have logged many hours on them with virtually no reported ill effects. But there are some situations and conditions where use of our products is strongly discouraged. These devices create flickering light, which can cause seizures in persons with photosensitive epilepsy.

Our products are designed for vocational and recreational purposes only. No medical claims are made for any product, expressed or implied. They are not medical devices and should not be used for the relief of any medical condition. Our products are not intended for  replacement of medical or psychological treatment. Our products are not intended to affect the structure or any function of the human body. These products are not approved for any purpose by the FDA.

If you have any form of seizures, epilepsy, visual photosensitivity, wears a pacemaker you should not use a Light and Sound system.

In addition, even if you have never had a seizure, there is a small chance that you are photosensitive, and exposure to flashing lights can cause a seizure. If you are not willing to accept this risk, please do not use our light and sound systems.

Our Light and Sound Machines are based upon ancient understandings and modern research about how the mind interacts with certain types of pulsating light and sound patterns. Your experience should feel pleasant and we recommend that you set the volume and light intensity levels before you use it.