Remember that song from Disney’s “Snow White” recommending you should “whistle while you work?” The Department of Homeland Security is giving that concept a 21st century makeover.
DHS is looking into something called “Brain Music,” which the department describes as music created from one’s own brain waves.
The theory is that brain music helps a person deal with stress. What’s more, DHS contends that every brain has a soundtrack, with tempo and tone being determined by a person’s mood, frame of mind and other brain-related factors.
Why is Homeland Security involved? The department thinks recordings of one’s own brain music might actually help the person deal with stressful situations.
“Because of the strains that come with an emergency response job, we are interested in finding ways to help these workers remain at the top of their game when working and get quality rest when they go off a shift,” said DHS Program Manager Robert Burns. “Our goal is to find new ways to help first responders perform at the highest level possible, without increasing tasks, training, or stress levels.”
Although Homeland Security isn’t all that clear as to how they translate brainwaves into music, the department does describe scientists “taking down the notes.” Then researchers convert the brain music into two unique recordings with each composition promoting one of two responses – relaxation and alertness.
Burns described the relaxation track as sounding like a “melodic, subdued Chopin sonata,” while the alertness composition might have “more of a Mozart sound.”
Being this is Homeland Security talking, the alertness track is easy to understand, with the idea being that police and firemen could use brain music to increase levels of readiness.
But the relaxation track is equally important, for they want to bring the responders down after the emergency is over, as well as prevent episodes of insomnia, headaches and fatigue.
Once the brain waves are set to music, the researchers give their subjects a specific listening schedule tailored to their working needs.
DHS is testing the brain music tracks on a group of firemen. However, we can’t help but wonder what kind of music researchers might find in brainwaves belonging to, say, Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails or maybe Metallica’s James Hetfield. We don’t know what the finished tracks would sound like, but it’s a sure bet they won’t resemble anything by Chopin or Mozart.
Please click here to read the Department of Homeland Security’s posting about “brain music.”