Can You Train Your Brain? Meditation, Brainwaves, and Wearable Neurotechnology
Course Description
Can you train your attention? What are “brainwaves,” and can you see your own in real time? In this seminar, we will explore how scientists measure attention and how emerging wearable technologies claim to help us improve it.
Using portable EEG headbands (the same kind used in consumer brain-sensing devices), we will observe how patterns of brain activity change during brief attention exercises. You will work in small groups to record and interpret simple brain signals, compare subjective experience with measurable data, and design a mini-experiment testing how focused attention affects brain rhythms.
Along the way, we will explore big questions: What is attention? How do we know when it changes? What is neurofeedback, and does it really work? Can technology meaningfully enhance focus or calmness? What are the ethical risks of collecting and commercializing brain data?
No prior background in neuroscience or programming is required. This course combines discussion, hands-on lab sessions, and short reflection assignments. By the end of the quarter, you will understand how brain signals are measured, how to critically evaluate claims about “brain training,” and how science separates real effects from hype.
If you are curious about the brain, technology, mental health, or the science of self-regulation, this seminar will give you a practical and critical introduction.
Meet the Instructor: Manish Saggar
"I am an associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and direct the Brain Dynamics Lab at Stanford. I study how patterns of brain activity relate to attention, emotion, creativity, and mental health. In my research, I use tools such as brain imaging, wearable EEG devices, and computational modeling to understand how brain networks change over time.
"I became interested in this work because I was fascinated by a simple question: how do invisible patterns of electrical activity in the brain shape what we experience as thoughts, focus, or mood? Over time, I have also become interested in how practices like meditation influence attention and whether technology can meaningfully measure or enhance those changes.
"In this seminar, I hope to create an interactive and exploratory environment where students can directly engage with brain-measurement tools, ask foundational questions about how attention works, and learn how to think critically about emerging neurotechnologies."
Of related interest
Eye, Brain, Vision
