What's in SmartSound? 

Listening to SmartSound you’ll hear (and feel) multiple evidence-based, scientific sound technologies and processes embedded in immersive 3D soundscapes.

In simple terms, your brain and ears get a kind of therapeutic 'sonic massage’ via special sound formulas (algorithms) combining specific frequencies, various forms of rhythmic auditory stimulation, and other clinical sound techniques. The end result is a uniquely dynamic, broad-spectrum sound treatment with multiple effects and benefits.

Shown to promote a range of benefits for your body, brain and mind, SmartSound may assist your daily wellbeing, performance, and resilience.  Its effects and benefits typically increase with ongoing use as your brain adjusts to the stimulation. 

So, why not get our free Mini-D-Stress and start enjoying them today?

 Additional Information 

NeuroSonica SmartSound evolved along multidisciplinary lines, a synthesis informed by psychoacoustics, the arts, music therapy, disciplines including auditory cognitive neuroscience, and hospital-based EEG validation.

Uniquely multifunctional, it combines a range of evidence-based audio technologies and processes. Some of these are briefly outlined below. (Proprietary material has been excluded).

These work in synergy to produce a range of effects and benefits exclusive to SmartSound. 

They include:

 

Vestibular auditory stimulation.  Enjoy enjoy soothing stimulation of your vestibular (balance) system in our sleep and stress management sessions. The vestibular system is associated with many aspects of the sleep network including the regulation of our circadian rhythms. It also plays a fundamental role in rhythm perception.  Clinical studies suggest vestibular stimulation may help improve balance and body awareness, assist with concentration, attention, stress reduction, sleep induction and more. 

 

Bilateral auditory stimulation.   Experience the many benefits of SmartSound's bilateral (side-to-side) rhythmic acoustic stimuli. These may include rapid physiological relaxation, a 'distancing' or quietening of intrusive thoughts and other mental activity, enhanced hemispheric synchronization and more. Bilateral stimulation (auditory, tactile, or visual) is a key component of EMDR therapy (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), an evidence-based psychotherapeutic treatment for PTSD and other trauma.

               

Brainwave synchronisation.  SmartSound gives you leading-edge use of this well known pulse-based audio technology. Also known as auditory driving, neural or brainwave entrainment, it has enjoyed decades of clinical use for its many evidence-based benefits and applications. These include assistance for a wide range of conditions and issues, in part by helping address certain brainwave imbalances and 'dysrhythmias' and encouraging hemispheric balance. More about brainwave synchronisation HERE

 

Frequency (Pitch) stimulation. Enjoy the benefits of a full frequency spectrum covering the lower to the upper thresholds of hearing. Sound therapy pioneer Dr Alfred Tomatis discovered that the brain could be stimulated and recharged with high frequency sounds (8k Hz - 16k Hz +). Shown to generate larger neural responses than low-pitched ones, they may help recharge the brain's cortex, support learning, creativity and memory. Low-frequency sound stimulation has been shown to assist with pain, stress, sleep and anxiety management, mood regulation and more. 

 

 '3-D' audio, binaural field recordings, ASMR. 3-D sound spatialization is used extensively in SmartSound. In addition to deeply engaging your ears and brain, you'll love its deep 'cinematic' immersion, spatial realism and other fascinating phenomena. As well as ambisonics and other contemporary 'surround' sound formats, we include Holophonics™ - 'the acoustic equivalent of a hologram', created by pioneer sound engineer Hugo Zuccharelli. At times you'll also enjoy specially selected audio stimuli to encourage the tingling, relaxing sensations of the autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR).

 

Amazing sound art and music.  Beyond its therapeutic aspects, SmartSound is a rich, immersive and very distinctive audio experience. It incorporates 1,000's of carefull selected 'sound bites', musical, abstract and otherwise, all individually modulated to support and enhance its clinical sound technologies. (See below). This complex sonic diversity not only provides a fascinating and enjoyable aesthetic experience, but a non-invasive way to stimulate multiple areas of the brain. Our thanks to all those whose royalty free sound art and design, music and field recordings have helped put the "art" in SmartSound! 

 

SmartSound Aesthetics, Complexity, Brain Plasticity and more

When you use SmartSound you'll experience the effects and benefits of audio as never before - plus some very unusual sounds! While we prioritise efficacy over aesthetics, we also strive to make it entertaining and enjoyable - a unique, functional blend of sound art, music and science.

SmartSound is delivered as abstract, therapeutic 'soundscapes'. This allows us to combine our various sound technologies with multiple layers of music, environmental ambiences, sound effects and so on. Although every session is different, variations of certain themes, nature and other sounds are used as unifying elements across different soundscapes. Get ready to enter a paradisiacal world of sound!

At times, SmartSound presents the brain with abstract, novel or unpredictable auditory stimuli. Studies show such stimuli engage a great deal more neurological and auditory processing than a predictable or repetitive one. Acting as a form of brain exercise, this kind of complex processing has been associated with increased brain plasticity and the formation of new neural connections, heightened gamma, electrical and other activity.

Other SmartSound auditory stimulation may also  provide the listener with a beneficial 'earobic workout'. Exercising the middle ear muscles for example, may be encouraged by the strategic use of contrasting high and low frequencies and other techniques. Although we do not claim to help with hearing loss, our techologies may offer assistance for tinnitus.

SmartSound uniquely uses some sound technologies as 'musical' elements within its soundscapes. This, we believe, greatly enhances their power and efficacy while contributing to a very distinctive listening experience where art and science truly merge.

You'll also enjoy the benefits of specially chosen sounds to mask external noise and various other features designed to optimize your experience.

Lastly, and importantly, ongoing use of SmartSound does not appear to produce habituation. In fact, many long-term users tell us it's even more effective now than when they first started using it!

Music as therapy

Music not only adds pleasurable aesthetics to SmartSound, but ongoing research confirms that it in itself, offers exciting therapeutic potentials. In fact, the therapeutic use of  music therapy has already gained medical acceptance over the last decade.

Clinical studies confirm that music produces measurable physiological and neurological responses, stimulates multiple areas of the brain, and helps to encourage, and even restore neuroplasticity.

Researchers in the field of music therapy intervention are finding potential applications for helping autism spectrum disorders, mood disorders including depression, assistance for those with memory disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, and the treatment of substance use disorders. 

Music has also been used successfully for the rhythmic entrainment (synchronization) of motor function to facilitate movement recovery in patients with Parkinson's disease, stroke, traumatic brain injury and cerebral palsy.

The links between music and emotion are very well established, and we've all experienced the range of emotions it can induce. This, and its ability to trigger memories, have exciting potential psychotherapeutic applications.

Interestingly, despite the highly subjective, individual nature of musical tastes, brain scans consistently show that the more a listener enjoys a particular piece of music, regardless of what it is, the greater the degree of brain connectivity it produces. And vice-versa - the greater the dislike, the less the connectivity. 

While it's impossible to please all musical tastes, we're sure you'll enjoy many pleasing musical moments in the ever-changing soundscapes of SmartSound!

 Updates and Improvements

NeuroSonica SmartSound is a work in progress and remains open to ongoing improvements inspired by new findings and developments as they come to hand.

To this end, we regularly review the latest sound related research, professional forums, technologies and so on, and may update our app sessions accordingly from time to time.

Users can opt for notification when we do, so they can take advantage of the very latest session upgrades at no extra cost.

 

NeuroSonica - Hearing is Believing