2.0 assessment questions

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Martha,

HiBeta is a broad band, ranging from 23-38 Hz--about 15 Hz. The 1.9A software cannot actually create filters wider than 10 Hz, though Tom reports that 2.0 can do so with quite a bit to spare. Hence, 1.9A must split the band into 2 pieces. High Beta measures the lower end of the band and Gamma is defined to measure the top end. In 2.0, we set a single band, High Beta to pick up the entire range. Since 1.9A actually contains 2 filters, which overlap, to measure the same thing that one filter measures in 2.0, one could argue that the 1.9A should overstate High Beta. The difference in the readings in that band have to do with Tom's attempts to produce a set of frequency multipliers that will adjust for the existing tendencies in Brainmaster's amplifiers, which technically overstate some frequencies and understate others slightly.

Because BrainMaster does not currently have the capacity to report or train on Peak Frequency within a band, I have had to jury-rig a way of estimating peak frequency in alpha. By creating a band that measures low alpha amplitude, then dividing it by amplitude in the total 8-12Hz band, we can see the percentage of alpha amplitude (or an approximation) below 10 Hz. Actually, this is a failure to update the manual on my part:

PLEASE CHANGE YOUR DEFINITION OF GAMMA WHEN RUNNING 2.0 ASSESSMENT TO 10-12HZ, NOT8-10-12 HZ.

This measure allows the software to accurately give a reading of "Hi Alpha %" by giving the percent of total alpha activity that is above 10 instead of the percent 10 and below.

The problem you raise in terms of cells getting their information from the wrong place is something I am still working on. The change in the form structure in 2.0 and the change in filter range resulted in changes in hundreds of formulas in the assess spreadsheet, and I obviously haven't caught them all. I appreciate your bringing this to my attention. I'll be back in the office (finally) on July 9, and I'll fix this.

Thanks,

Pete

Re: Digest Number 411

Hi Pete, Yes, downloading the 2.0 assessment program for use with my BrainMaster 2.0 certainly did help! I knew there had to be an easier way than manually deleting fields to get the data into the right files. : ) However, I am still puzzled about the way you are having us define the frequency bands for 2.0. For example:a) Why are we defining HiBeta as 23-38 instead of 23-32? I remember your saying that HiBeta looks higher in 2.0 than 1.9? Wouldn't inlcuding 33-38 Hz do that? Why are we defining Gamma as 8-10 Hz? The corresponding column (N) in the Process page of the assessment report is called "Total" but it looks more like low alpha. c) Why is the User Defined frequency band 3-38? The report calls this column (O) HiAlpha, but it sure looks more like 3-38 Hz. I don't use Excel, so I may be missing something, but things don't look right. Even if I ignore the Gamma and User Defined freq bands, I'm concerned that things like the percent HiAlpha and peak alpha frequency and findings based on HiBeta may still be based on values from 1.9. When you get some time, could you look into this? Thanks in advance... : ) I really appreciate all your hard work on this program.Martha Martha S. Lappin, PhDAlternative Health Care Research, Inc.10841 Split Oak LaneBurke, VA 22015