System and method for multiple timer management task for enhanced cognition

Abstract

Disclosed are cognitive training exercises that are designed to target an ability of a user to track multiple ongoing streams of information concurrently and to correctly and efficiently perform one or more actions related to these streams to achieve an end goal are described herein. The training exercises use, as an exemplar metaphor, a theme of a barista working in a coffee shop, bar or establishment. The user assumes the role of the barista, for example, taking orders for various types of drinks that might be purchased at a coffee shop. The user then needs to manage the production of these orders to perform well within an optimal time period. The system is configurable to increase the challenge presented to a user in response to prior performance by, for example, adding additional orders, adding additional machines for producing beverages, adding additional beverage types available for order. The system is also configurable to dynamically increase the difficulty of the challenge in response to one or more of a user's performance, a passage of time, or any other variable that is desirable. In addition, the system is configurable to enable the user to flip between screens presented and/or to switch between orders and machines viewable by the user at a given time resulting in an increased memory requirement for the user.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of enhancing a cognitive ability of a user, comprising:
 conducting, via a user interface display of a user computing device, a training session comprising:
 compiling, via the computing device, an order processing device having one or more order processors with an order actuator to control the one or more order processors, an order queue, one or more order cards, one or more order components, and one or more order fulfillment containers; 
 presenting, via the user interface display of the user computing device, the order processing device having one or more order processors with the order actuator to control the one or more order processors, the order queue, one or more order cards, one or more order components, and one or more order fulfillment containers; 
 displaying to the user, via the user interface display of the user computing device, the order processing device, one or more order processors, one or more order actuators, one or more order cards in the order queue, and one or more order components; 
 allowing the user, via the user interface display of the user computing device, to select one or more order components for one of the one or more order containers and to actuate an order commencement. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the order processing device has a plurality of order actuators. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the order actuator controls the order commencement and an order completion. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  further comprising:
 recording, via the user computing device, whether the user successfully commences and completes an order in the order queue. 
 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the order comprises a representation of one or more order components within an order sheet. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein a complexity of the training session is determined by the user computing device from at least one of: a number of orders, a number of order components, an order of processing the orders in the order queue, a number of completed orders, and a number of incomplete orders. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  further comprising:
 enhancing the complexity of the training session by having the user, via the user interface display of the user computing device, to begin a plurality of orders, monitor a completion status of a plurality of orders, and select a termination time for a plurality of orders. 
 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  further comprising:
 increasing or decreasing, via the user computing device, the complexity of the training session according to user performance during the training session. 
 
     
     
         9 . An apparatus for enhancing a cognitive ability of a user, comprising:
 a user computing device configured to:
 conduct a training session, utilizing a user interface display of the user computing device, comprising:
 compiling, via the computing device, an order processing device having one or more order processors with an order actuator to control the one or more order processors, an order queue, one or more order cards, one or more order components, and one or more order fulfillment containers; 
 presenting, via the user interface display of the user computing device, the order processing device having one or more order processors with the order actuator to control the one or more order processors, the order queue, one or more order cards, one or more order components, and one or more order fulfillment containers; 
 displaying to the user, via the user interface display of the user computing device, the order processing device, one or more order processors, one or more order actuators, one or more order cards in the order queue, and one or more order components; 
 allowing the user, via the user interface display of the user computing device, to select one or more order components for one of the one or more order containers and to actuate an order commencement. 
 
   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein the order processing device has a plurality of order actuators. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10  wherein the order actuator controls the order commencement and an order completion. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11  further comprising:
 recording, via the user computing device, whether the user successfully commences and completes an order in the order queue. 
 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein the order comprises a representation of one or more order components within an order sheet. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein a complexity of the training session is determined by the user computing device from at least one of: a number of orders, a number of order components, an order of processing the orders in the order queue, a number of completed orders, and a number of incomplete orders. 
     
     
         15 . Non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions executable by a processor, the instructions comprising instructions for:
 conducting a training session comprising:
 presenting an order processing device having one or more order processors with an order actuator to control the one or more order processors, an order queue, one or more order cards, one or more order components, and one or more order fulfillment containers; 
 displaying to the user, via the user interface display of the user computing device, the order processing device, one or more order processors, one or more order actuators, one or more order cards in the order queue, and one or more order components; 
 allowing the user, via the user interface display of the user computing device, to select one or more order components for one of the one or more order containers and to actuate an order commencement. 
   
     
     
         16 . The machine readable medium of  claim 15  wherein the order processing device has a plurality of order actuators. 
     
     
         17 . The machine readable medium of  claim 16  wherein the order actuator controls the order commencement and an order completion. 
     
     
         18 . The machine readable medium of  claim 17  further comprising:
 recording, via the user computing device, whether the user successfully commences and completes an order in the order queue. 
 
     
     
         19 . The machine readable medium of  claim 15  wherein the order comprises a representation of one or more order components within an order sheet. 
     
     
         20 . The machine readable medium of  claim 15  wherein a complexity of the training session is determined by the user computing device from at least one of: a number of orders, a number of order components, an order of processing the orders in the order queue, a number of completed orders, and a number of incomplete orders. 
     
     
         21 . The machine readable medium of  claim 18  further comprising:
 enhancing the complexity of the training session by having the user, via the user interface display of the user computing device, to begin a plurality of orders, monitor a completion status of a plurality of orders, and select a termination time for a plurality of orders. 
 
     
     
         22 . The machine readable medium of  claim 19  further comprising:
 increasing or decreasing, via the user computing device, the complexity of the training session according to user performance during the training session. 
 
     
     
         23 . An apparatus means for enhancing a cognitive ability of a user, comprising:
 a user computing means configured to:
 conduct a training session, utilizing a user interface display means of the user computing means, comprising:
 presenting, via the user interface display means of the user computing means, an order processing device having one or more order processors with an order actuator to control the one or more order processors, an order queue, one or more order cards, one or more order components, and one or more order fulfillment containers; 
 displaying to the user, via the user interface display means of the user computing means, the order processing device, one or more order processors, one or more order actuators, one or more order cards in the order queue, and one or more order components; 
 allowing the user, via the user interface display means of the user computing means, to select one or more order components for one of the one or more order containers and to actuate an order commencement. 
 
   
     
     
         24 . The apparatus means of  claim 23  wherein the order processing device has a plurality of order actuators. 
     
     
         25 . The apparatus means of  claim 24  wherein the order actuator controls the order commencement and an order completion. 
     
     
         26 . The apparatus means of  claim 25  further comprising:
 recording, via the user computing means, whether the user successfully commences and completes an order in the order queue. 
 
     
     
         27 . The apparatus means of  claim 23  wherein the order comprises a representation of one or more order components within an order sheet. 
     
     
         28 . The apparatus means of  claim 23  wherein a complexity of the training session is determined by the user computing means from at least one of: a number of orders, a number of order components, an order of processing the orders in the order queue, a number of completed orders, and a number of incomplete orders.