How it works

Brainhack packages sensory and reading protocols inspired by published research and heritage acoustics. This page is a plain-language map of what each path is based on — and what it is not. Educational software only; not a medical device or treatment.

How strong is the evidence?

Not every preset sits on the same foundation. Rough ranking for honesty:

Strongest inspiration

GENUS-style 40 Hz light/sound — multi-year MIT / Picower mouse work and human pilots. Frequency (~40 Hz) and sensory drive are the core ideas; a browser app is not a lab LED panel or clinic device.

Moderate / mixed

Alpha (~10 Hz), theta (~6 Hz), beta (~16 Hz) pulses and binaural beats appear often in entrainment and consumer wellness literature. Effects vary by study; treat as experimental self-care tools, not proven therapies.

Heritage / craft

Hypogeum drones draw on archaeoacoustic measurements of chamber resonance (~70 & ~110–114 Hz). Interesting acoustics history — not a medical protocol.

Technique, not medicine

Word Stream (RSVP) is a reading presentation method. Slow packs are contemplative pacing — not clinical hypnosis or addiction treatment.

GENUS (research path)

40 Hz light and/or clicks with ~50% visual duty cycle. Inspired by MIT Picower Institute work on gamma entrainment (from 2016 visual flicker in mice through later sound and multisensory extensions). The critical lab variable was frequency — especially 40 Hz — as broad luminance flicker, not a logo or symbol.

Color, intensity & patterns

Classic GENUS emphasizes timing and full-field brightness. Later human flicker work has explored color and intensity (some reports favor red or bright white for entrainment). Full-field white remains the research-closest default here. Soft pulse, orbs, checkers, and other shapes keep the same Hz but are experimental / comfort-oriented, not the published GENUS hardware recipe.

Band pulses (6 / 10 / 16 Hz)

Alpha, theta, and beta ranges are commonly discussed in EEG and sensory-entrainment contexts (relaxed wakefulness, drowsiness/rest, alert focus). Our presets deliver simple timed flicker + clicks at those rates. They are lifestyle-style tools inspired by band labels — not a clinical diagnosis or therapy protocol.

Binaural beats

Left and right ears receive pure tones a few hertz apart; the perceived beat is the difference. Stereo headphones are required. Research findings are mixed across cognition, sleep, and mood studies. Use low volume and short sessions first.

Hypogeum (heritage path)

The Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum’s Oracle Chamber has been measured with a strong double resonance near ~70 Hz and ~114 Hz (popular accounts often say ~110–111 Hz). Voice and percussion can drive the limestone cavity. Our protocol plays continuous low sines near those partials — an homage, not a reconstruction. Laptop speakers will not feel like a chamber.

Word Stream (RSVP)

Rapid Serial Visual Presentation shows one word at a time — a known reading technique used in speed-reading practice and controlled reading experiments. Built-in packs (peace, compassion, resilience, mood) are curated language, not validated interventions. Deep calm and recovery packs use slower WPM for contemplative pacing; they are not clinical hypnosis or medical treatment for addiction.

Browser limits (important)

What you experience here is a practical software approximation.

Displays refresh at 60/120 Hz and use LCD/OLED, not research LED strips. True 40 Hz luminance is approximate; some frames will be shared.
Audio depends on your device, OS mixer, and headphones. Deep Hypogeum partials need decent low-end response.
Sessions are timed and logged locally for consistency — not clinical monitoring or diagnosis.

Protocol map

What each preset actually drives in the app

Protocol	Hz	Audio	Notes
GENUS Gamma	40	clicks	Closest to published GENUS sensory protocol parameters.
Alpha Calm	10	clicks	Gentle 10 Hz flicker and soft clicks associated with relaxed wakefulness.
Theta Rest	6	clicks	Slow 6 Hz stimulation for wind-down and quiet mind (not sleep therapy).
Beta Focus	16	clicks	16 Hz mid-band pulse for alert, task-oriented sessions.
Binaural Calm	10	binaural	Stereo tones with a 10 Hz difference — headphones required.
Binaural Focus	16	binaural	16 Hz binaural beat for sustained attention work. Use headphones.
Binaural Deep	6	binaural	Low 6 Hz beat for deep rest. Dim lights optional; headphones required.
Binaural Gamma	40	binaural	40 Hz beat without flashing lights — gamma audio path only.
Hypogeum Resonance	70 / 110 / 114	drone	Inspired by archaeoacoustic measurements of the Oracle Chamber (double resonance ~70 Hz / ~114 Hz). Not a reconstruction of the site; speakers cannot recreate limestone standing waves.
Word Stream	WPM	words	RSVP (rapid serial visual presentation) is a reading technique. Slow packs are for contemplative pacing—not clinical hypnosis or medical treatment.