Hacker News Reader

Why not do it in reverse order? First drawing with the machine and then without.

Or better yet, have a control test. Tell a person their mental faculties will be enhanced, but don't actually run the test. See if just that knowledge increases their ability.

I'm sure the scientists behind this are on top of that. Just does not make sense for someone writing an article to be part of the control group.

Fair enough, but the article doesn't mention control tests at all. The "transcranial magnetic stimulator" is touted as voodoo magic.

I feel like I just read a 3a.m. infomercial.

It's the New York Times. That's what they do.

They check for placebo: see the pdf http://www.centreforthemind.com/images/savantskills.pdf

what do you mean? he draws first without, then with the machine on, then again afterwards with it off.

As another psychologist points out, you still need control subjects who just draw subsequent images of cats. We expect improvement with practice.

A simple experiment would be a large sample of people do the drawings, all are hooked up to the machine, but it's only turned on for half. Of course, the subjects and the experimenters themselves don't know which ones get the machine actually turned on.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com