THE SCIENCE BEHIND SENS.AI

Assess sessions measure your brain function objectively using ERP-based cognitive assessments. Assessments are the measurement layer of the system — the foundation everything else is built on. Without measurement before and after intervention, there is no way to know whether training is working.

Electroencephalography (EEG) is a method of recording the brain's electrical activity using sensors on the scalp. EEG captures brainwave patterns across different frequency bands (delta, theta, alpha, beta, gamma), providing a real-time picture of brain state and function. In the Sens.ai system, EEG data powers both the neurofeedback training and the biomarker extraction that feeds the BrainYears™ model.

An Event-Related Potential (ERP) is a measured brain response to a specific sensory, cognitive, or motor event. Unlike resting-state EEG, which captures ongoing brain activity, ERPs measure how the brain processes specific tasks: how quickly it responds, how accurately it discriminates between stimuli, and how efficiently it encodes information. ERPs are widely used in clinical and research settings to assess cognitive function with high precision.

The current assessment protocol uses the Flanker Task, an ERP-based cognitive test that measures attention and executive function by requiring the user to identify the direction of a central arrow while ignoring conflicting flanking arrows. Performance on this task, combined with the underlying EEG and ERP data, maps brain function across five cognitive domains: processing speed, attention, memory encoding, executive function, and sensory integration. Results are benchmarked against age- and demographic-matched norms, giving each user an objective baseline and a measurable way to track change over time.

This is what separates Sens.ai from systems that offer training without measurement, or measurement without intervention. The assessment doesn't just tell you where you are — it informs what your training should be, and confirms whether it's working.

Boost sessions are designed to shift your brain state quickly. Each session stacks transcranial photobiomodulation (tPBM) with binaural beats and guided meditations into a single experience — stimulating the brain at the cellular level while guiding it toward a target state.

Photobiomodulation is the use of specific wavelengths of light to stimulate cellular function. When applied through the skull to the brain, near-infrared light at 810nm is absorbed by mitochondria in cortical neurons, supporting cellular energy production (ATP synthesis) and promoting the biological conditions for neuroplasticity. The Sens.ai headset delivers tPBM at 312 mW/cm², targeting frontal and temporal cortical regions.

Binaural beats are an auditory phenomenon in which two slightly different frequencies are played to each ear, and the brain perceives a third "beat" at the difference between them. This perceived frequency can guide brainwave entrainment toward a desired state — alpha for calm focus, theta for deep relaxation, gamma for heightened processing.

Because the headset reads your EEG in real-time, the tPBM frequency and binaural beat frequency are personalized to your brainwaves during the session. Most devices deliver a fixed frequency to every user. Sens.ai adapts to your brain's natural resonance, which is why the same "alpha" session can feel different for different people — it's calibrated to where your brain actually is, not a population average.

A measure of how old your brain appears to be based on its function, rather than your chronological age. Just as biological age clocks for the body use blood biomarkers or DNA methylation, biological brain age uses EEG and ERP-derived biomarkers to estimate how the brain is performing relative to age-matched norms. A brain that is biologically younger than its chronological age typically shows faster processing, stronger attention, and more efficient neural communication.

Sens.ai's proprietary measure of biological brain age, developed in collaboration with the Buck Institute for Research on Aging. The BrainYears™ model analyzes 643 EEG and ERP-derived biomarkers to produce a single brain age score. A BrainYears™ improvement of 5.1 years was observed over 56 days in users who completed the Sharp Mind protocol. → brainyears.com

An auditory phenomenon in which two slightly different frequencies are played to each ear, causing the brain to perceive a third frequency at the difference between them. This perceived beat can guide brainwave entrainment toward a target state. In the Sens.ai system, binaural beat frequencies are personalized to the user's EEG in real-time.

Rhythmic electrical patterns produced by neurons communicating in the brain, measured by EEG. Brainwaves are categorized by frequency into five primary bands, each associated with different mental states and functions. → Brainwaves

The slowest brainwave frequency, dominant during deep, dreamless sleep. Delta activity is essential for physical restoration, immune function, and memory consolidation. Elevated delta during waking hours can indicate fatigue or cognitive impairment.

Associated with light sleep, deep relaxation, creativity, and the boundary between waking and sleeping (hypnagogia). Theta is also linked to memory encoding and emotional processing.

The brain's idle rhythm, dominant when relaxed and alert but not actively processing a demanding task. Alpha is associated with calm focus, stress reduction, and mental readiness. Strong alpha production is often a marker of healthy cognitive function.

Associated with active thinking, problem-solving, focused attention, and engaged conversation. Elevated beta can indicate alertness and concentration; excess beta, particularly high-beta, is sometimes associated with anxiety or overthinking.

The fastest brainwave frequency, associated with high-level information processing, learning, memory formation, and moments of insight. Gamma activity reflects coordinated communication across brain regions.

The preservation and optimization of brain function across the lifespan. Cognitive longevity focuses on maintaining the quality of cognitive performance — memory, processing speed, attention, executive function — as the brain ages.

A method of recording the brain's electrical activity using sensors on the scalp. EEG captures real-time brainwave patterns and is the primary data source for both neurofeedback training and brain function assessment in the Sens.ai system.

A measured brain response to a specific stimulus or task. ERPs capture how quickly and accurately the brain processes information, making them a powerful tool for assessing cognitive function. The Sens.ai system uses ERP-based tasks (including the Flanker Task) to measure processing speed, attention, and executive function.

A cognitive assessment task used to measure attention and executive function. The user identifies the direction of a central arrow while ignoring surrounding (flanking) arrows that may point in a conflicting direction. It is one of the core ERP-based assessments in the Sens.ai system.

The variation in time between consecutive heartbeats. Higher HRV generally indicates a more flexible, adaptive nervous system. HRV biofeedback, used in the Sens.ai system, trains the user to improve autonomic balance through controlled breathing patterns.

A form of brain training in which real-time EEG data is translated into audiovisual feedback, allowing the brain to learn to regulate its own activity patterns. Over repeated sessions, the brain strengthens its ability to shift into desired states — focused, calm, alert — without external cues. → Neurofeedback

The brain's ability to reorganize its structure and function in response to experience, learning, or training. Neuroplasticity is the biological mechanism that makes neurofeedback and other brain training approaches work. This capacity does not disappear with age, although it may require more targeted support.

The use of specific wavelengths of light to stimulate cellular function. When applied through the skull to the brain (transcranial), near-infrared light (typically 810nm) is absorbed by mitochondria in cortical neurons, supporting ATP production and promoting the cellular conditions for neuroplasticity. → Neurostimulation

How quickly the brain receives, interprets, and responds to information. Processing speed is one of the five cognitive domains assessed by the Sens.ai system and is a key indicator of overall brain function. Declines in processing speed are among the earliest measurable signs of cognitive aging.