Thought Technology Gives NASA Astronauts an Edge

Micro-miniaturization technology enabling National Aeronautics & Space Administration Montreal, Quebec--August 20, 2007— As Dave Williams wraps up NASA’s STS-118 shuttle mission with the rest of the crew, years of training and a technology developed in Montreal have helped him soar to great heights. For decades, NASA has been studying astronaut's physiological responses to zero gravity, to living in outer space and to staying in a space vehicles and space stations for extended periods of time. NASA recently conducted under water research since the environment provides some useful similarities to working in space. Using off the shelf technology, developed by THOUGHT TECHNOLOGY LTD of Montreal. The device is a wearable outfit that records multiple physiological measurements simultaneously. The technology is ultra miniaturized, using a standard FlexComp Infiniti(tm) physiological encoder, storing the data using flash memory cards. The astronauts, Mission Specialist Dave Williams, a Canadian Physician, and Astronaut Ron Garin, an American, wore the "gear" throughout the day while living in an NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) undersea habitat, off the shore of Key Largo Florida, 65 feet down below the surface. NASA researcher William Toscano described the mission, “Our project was called Nemo Nine. It was 22 days long, with 2 astronauts participating. They wore the FlexComp Infiniti(tm) system for three of the mission days. What we were looking was the effect of isolation, workload and fatigue on the individuals. We're using the Nemo Nine environment as an analog of a space station.” It was all stored on flash memory cards, “ We recorded five measurements-- heart rate and electrocardiogram, respiration, skin conductance, hand temperature and finger pulse volume. Throughout the day they had activities and tasks to do." New, micro-miniaturization technologies have enabled NASA researchers to use commercially produced biomedical devices like the FlexComp Infiniti(tm) to do what used to take a wall full of equipment easily weighing over 1000 pounds. Now, the device, manufactured by Thought Technology a company that is the world's largest provider of medical and consumer biofeedback instrumentation, weighs less than a pound and has built-in data storage using flash memory cards. NASA’s Toscano commented on the extreme research environment and on the air pressure, "at 65 feet is about 2.65 (atmospheres) -- different from at the surface. There were questions of whether the instrument would function, would it work? And it did, with flying colors! “Thought Technology also produces the GSR2, the world's best selling hand held electronic (computerizable) consumer Biofeedback device.

Highlights from Montreal UQAM Workshop

Members of the Biofeedback Foundation of Europe recently held an 'Optimizing Performance and Health' workshop which shared the latest developments in using Biofeedback and Neurofeedback in sport. Dr. Vietta "Sue" Wilson conducted the workshop at the University of Quebec's downtown Montreal campus. Dr. Louis Csoka, the founder of West Point Military Academy's Sports Psychology program, attended as did Dr. Wes Sime a Sport Psychologist specializing in PGA Golf. Dr. Len Zaichkowsky of Boston University, Dr. Mark S. Schwartz, author of the landmark book "Biofeedback", and Andre Fournier, Chief of the Coaching Association of Canada were also in attendance. A total of eighteen English speaking Sports Psychologists participated. Conducting a workshop in French were Dr. Nicolina and Ray Pavlov with 10 Sports Psychologists attending. The Biofeedback Foundation of Europe believes, along with thousands of clinicians, that through the Biofeedback and Neurofeedback process, athletes can reach an optimal state and reach their peak performance with the information that electro-physiology instruments provide. The CBC's Sonali Karnick interviewed Dr. Vietta 'Sue' Wilson at UQAM on June 10th. Click Here for Interview

BFE Leads Lecture Series in Nanjing, China

Nanjing, China --- Members of the Biofeedback Foundation of Europe recently held a series of lectures and discussions at the Brain Hospital in Nanjing, a major neurological center in China. Leading a keynote lecture was BFE lecturer, Dr. Stephen I. Sideroff PhD., an expert in behavioral medicine and assistant clinical professor at UCLA’s department of psychiatry. Dr. Sideroff gave a presentation and workshop to 110 physicians at the Brain Hospital in Nanjing. Dr. Sideroff explained behavioral medicine, stress and how biofeedback and neurofeedback can be used in this context. The presentation included a demonstration of biofeedback and neurofeedback approaches that he employs in his treatment of ADD/ADHD, stress related symptoms and peak performance. Dr. Sideroff used Thought Technology’s ProComp Infiniti to demonstrate his approach in these areas. He later gave a similar presentation to seventy physicians at the Beijing Youth Stress Center. BFE lecturer, Dr. Howard Glazer, PhD., an expert in pelvic floor muscle biofeedback and a Clinical Associate Professor at Cornell Medical College, presented another keynote lecture at the 7th Annual Meeting of Colorectal Surgeons Society of China. Two hundred and fifty surgeons attended Dr. Glazer’s lecture. The Society was celebrating the 70th anniversary of its founder’s medical practice.

11TH ANNUAL MEETING BERLIN--WUNDERBAR SUCCESS !

Monday, April 23, 2007 News & Upcoming Workshops & Conferences BFE 11th Annual Meeting in Berlin....Wunderbar success from left to right - Dr. Erik Peper, President of the BFE, Dr. Bruno Demichelis - For 20 years the Head of Sports Science for AC Milan Football Team, Dr. Vietta 'Sue' Wilson, author of 'Optimizing Performance and Health' BFE Suite, Lawrence Klein, V.P. of Thought Technology and Luca Righetto, Italian Distributor of Thought Technology

Berlin, Germany - Holding their BFE Lifetime Achievement Awards for their contribution to the field of Biofeedback and Neurofeedback in Sport, in both the Professional Football field and Olympics are Dr. Bruno Demichelis and Dr. Vietta 'Sue' Wilson. Their lectures opened the Biofeedback Foundation of Europe's 11th annual Meeting’s Scientific Program which began February 27th. Dr. Vietta 'Sue' Wilson, of Toronto, Canada, gave an hour introductory lecture on Biofeedback and Neurofeedback's use in Sport Psychology. Dr. Bruno Demichelis gave a ninety minute lecture on AC Milan's use of the Mind Room and Sport Psychology /Sports Medicine. The MindRoom, which includes Thought Technology’s ProComp Infiniti/BioGraph Infiniti, is considered their secret weapon that helped them defeat Manchester United 3-0 and advance to the Champions League Football final May 23rd, 2007 in Athens, Greece.The next annual meeting takes place February 2008, in Salzburg, Austria

http://www.bfe.org/meeting/12th/Salzburg.pdf

BFE WORKSHOPS COMING TO MONTREAL, CANADA, IN JULY

Dr. Vietta " Sue" Wilson will be teaching her workshop, "Optimizing Performance & Health". Dr. Wilson, renowned for her work in sports psychology since 1971, taught sport psychology, counseling and bio-feedback assisted self regulation at the graduate and undergraduate level for over 30 years. Participants in the two-day workshop will learn to differentiate the innate from acquired in our stress response and especially learn to understand how and why we respond to stress in the way we do, and most importantly, how to change.The workshops take place from July 9-10th at UQAM (the University of Quebec at Montreal) campus

YOUNG BERLIN FOOTBALL PLAYERS LEARN BIOFEEDBACK WITH DR. BRUNO DEMICHELIS

Monday, April 23, 2007 ----- Following a keynote address to the 11th Annual Meeting of the BFE, Dr. Bruno Demichelis, the famous Head of Sports Science, AC Milan Football Team, took time to teach some future soccer greats the finer points of biofeedback. The youngsters, who attend grade school in Berlin, learned about optimizing their performance and health--a life skill according to Demichelis. The young students were captivated by the computers and software for sports applications & biofeedback, developed by Thought Technology Ltd. of Montreal, Canada. Several of the young athletes were " hooked-up" in order to measure their biofeedback responses to stimuli. Dr. Demichelis taught them how to relax under stressful situations and how to improve their performance on the soccer pitch. He also showed them ways to train their powers of confidence using numerous visualization techniques.

Demichelis uses the same techniques and many more advanced for the players on theAC Milan Squad, who have just won their last four matches allowing them to enter the finals

round leading up to the World Cup.

The young Berlin footballers learned how to concentrate and focus to get into " the zone " for peak performance during competitions. Physical fitness is key to performing well, but mental preparation also makes a big difference with respect to performance Demichelis told them; it can also help reduce physical injuries.

Using ProComp Infiniti, professional athletes allow themselves to be measured for seven physiological signals --- from brain waves and muscle tension to heart rate and respiration.

Athletes soon learn how to achieve a meditative state and maintain this mind-set while visualizing videos of their recent performance on the football pitch.

HEART RATE VARIABILITY TRAINING SUITE

Tuesday, April 24, 2007 The HRV Training Suite, designed by Dr. Donald Moss and Dr. Fred Shaffer is based on the latest research and clinical experience, helping newcomers apply heart rate variability training.Licensed health professionals can learn how to measure HRV from an EKG signal or from peripheral blood flow (HR/BVP) and respiration.The suite includes specialized software display screens to support a variety of convergent training strategies to produce increased heart rate variability. The suite also includes a clinical guide that can help get started right away in this exciting field.The software and documentation in the suite teach techniques necessary for increasing heart rate variability. HRV can be of particular value to psychologists and other health practitioners and therapists.For information: http://www.bfe.org/store/HRV%20Training%20Suite.pdf

NEUROFEEDBACK FUNDAMENTALS WORKSHOP

Tuesday, April 24, 2007 NEUROFEEDBACK FUNDAMENTALS WORKSHOP—A UNIQUE LEARNING EXPERIENCE JUNE 4-8th & SEPT. 24-28 Lynda Thompson Ph.D and Michael Thompson, M.D. of the Biofeedback Institute of Toronto and ADD Centres Ltd., will once again be offering an introduction to basic concepts in applied psychophysiology:" Neurofeedback Combined with Biofeedback and Metacognition"The course is accredited by the Biofeedback Certification Institute of America, and provides up to 37 hours of BCIA didactic training. Chief Instructor will be Lynda Thompson Ph.D.Guest faculty will be professor Vietta Sue Wilson, Ph.D of the Dept. of Kinesiology Health Science, York University and James Thompson, Ph.D, presenting Basic Concepts in Applied Psychophysiology. The workshops combine comprehensive instruction in the basics of Neurofeedback while experiencing Canada’s breath-taking summer & autumn scenery. The location of the training is Burleigh Island Lodge at Burleigh Falls, a small inn on the shores of Stoney Lake in thescenic Kawartha Lakes district north of Toronto, Canada.Because of the unique location, the workshop will have a strictly-limited enrollment which also ensures the possibility of hands-on experience for all participants. There will be opportunities each afternoon for relaxing by the lake, as well as nature walks, boating, fishing and swimming. There are ancient indian rock paintings at the far end of the lake which can be visited. INFORMATION : http://www.addcentre.com/905-803-8066 lyndamichaelthompson@gmail.com Posted by the Director of Communications