Method and system for minimally stimulating in a user the retrieval of target information from memory

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method (100) for minimally stimulating in a user the retrieval of target information from memory, the method comprising the following steps: - outputting of cue information on an output device, - outputting of target information on the output device, wherein cue information is output from a first time (t 1) until at least a second time (t 2), wherein target information is output from a third time (t 3) until at least a fourth time (t 4), wherein the third time (t 3) is later than the second time (t 2), wherein the target information is altered dynamically in the time frame from the third time (t 3) to the fourth time (t 4), such that an amount of perceivable target information represented by the output device increases in this time frame.

Description

[0001]Bals & VogelMethod and system for minimally stimulating in a user the retrieval of target information from memoryD e s c r i p t i o nField of the Invention The present invention relates to a method and a system for minimally stimulating in a user theretrieval of target information from memory according to the appendant claims.Background of the Invention To function in modern society, people need to acquire, memorize, and effectively use largeamounts of information. Learning is, however, very time and resource consuming, can betedious, and is often fraught with failure and frustration. Accordingly, introducing a more efficient, engaging, motivating, and effective way to learn may help people to lead better, more productive lives. Summary of the InventionIt is an object of the present invention to provide for a possibility to effect in a user the retrievalof target information from memory.According to a first aspect, a method for minimally stimulating in a user the retrieval of targetinformation from memory is disclosed herein.The method disclosed herein comprises the outputting of cue information on an output deviceand the outputting of target information on the output device, wherein cue information is outputBals & Vogelfrom a first time until at least a second time, wherein target information is output from a thirdtime until at least a fourth time, wherein the third time is later than the second time, and whereinthe target information is altered dynamically in the time frame from the third time to the fourthtime, for example at least by increasing a degree of perceptibility of the target information frominitially low to finally high, such that an amount of perceivable target information representedby the output device increases in this time frame.In the context of the present invention, an amount of perceivable target information meansportions of presented target information that can be perceived by a human user using his orher human senses. Thus, an amount of perceivable target information may be altered bypresenting only portions of particular target information and / or by degrading the particulartarget information using blurring, such as Gaussian blurring, in the spatial domain, or low-passfiltering in the temporal domain, for example, in order to alter the grade of aural and / or visualperception, in particular the cognitive perception of the target information by a user.Thus, an amount of perceivable target information describes the extent to which targetinformation is clearly and fully represented and determines its strength as a stimulus forinducing recall. A maximal amount of perceivable target information is defined as a normal,full, undiminished representation of the target information. When presented with such arepresentation, a naive user – that is, someone with no relevant prior knowledge relating tothe target information – would typically be able to completely comprehend or at least faithfullyreproduce such a representation, though perhaps not quickly or fluidly. Conversely, a minimal amount of perceivable target information is defined as one that provides no information helpful to a naive user as to what the normal, full, undiminished representation might be. That is, a naive user presented with such a representation of target information would typically be unable to produce the normal, full, undiminished representation from the target information. With theseextremes as anchor points, degrees of an amount of perceivable target information betweenthem are expressed in terms of the parameters involved, which are specified for each representation type.In the context of the present invention, cue information is information that, when presented,prompts and directs in a user an attempt at retrieval of target information from memory. It maybe in the form of a question, an instruction, information to be corrected or completed, aBals & Vogeldescription or depiction of an actual situation, etc. In every case, a response is either explicitly requested, implicitly suggested, or otherwise prompted.In the context of the present invention, generation of information means information generatedby a user, either in the form of overt or covert behaviors. Overt behaviors include verbal, tonal,written / drawn / painted, gestural, and similar expressions. Covert behaviors, the contents ofwhich might be inferable from observations of brain activation patterns, include internal productions typically experienced by the user as equivalent or similar to their overt counterpart.In the context of the present invention, representation of information means a manner in whichinformation is presented to a user, which includes whether the information is presented visually, via displayed text, symbols, images, or video; aurally, via speech generated from text or recorded sound; or in other ways. It also includes, most notably, the degree(s) of clarity– completeness at which such information is presented.In the context of the present invention, target information, or target, means information linkedto particular cue information, wherein presentation of the target information is triggered bypresentation of corresponding cue information. Thus, target information may serve to stimulateretrieval of correctly associated information from memory, establish or strengthen its association in memory with the cue information, facilitate the correct production of the response, or confirm the correctness of the response. Further, target informationdescribes information correctly retrieved by a user from memory, prompted by associated cueinformation, potentially stimulated by the perception of corresponding presented targetinformation, reflected in overt or covert behavior. An overt behavior could be the provision ofan answer to a question, the following of an instruction, the correction or completion of information, the production of a response to a described or depicted situation, etc. Examples of covert behavior include something coming to mind, subvocal speech, and an imagined action. The method disclosed is based on a two-step process, where cue information is represented in a first step and target information is represented in a second step. Thus, the cue informationmay be represented simultaneously with the target information, or the cue information may berepresented first and afterwards the target information may be represented. In particular, therepresentation of cue information may trigger the representation of the target information.Bals & VogelThus, cue information and target information are presented over time intervals, depending on various factors, wherein the presentation of the cue information and the presentation of the target information may at times overlap, i.e., be concurrent.The present invention relates to the presentation of stimuli comprising a representation of cueinformation and a representation of target information, wherein an amount of perceivable targetinformation increases dynamically, in particular, gradually, i.e., continuously, in so-called“clarity–completeness” from initially low to finally high.The cue information prompts and directs the user to attempt to retrieve associated informationfrom memory. The dynamic increase in clarity–completeness, i.e., the increase of an amountof perceivable target information over time, then provides an increasingly salient stimulus insupport of doing so, effectively inducing successful retrieval during this attempt – regardlessof the degree of support the user might need. Moreover, its gradual pacing facilitates retrievalbefore the stimulation becomes superfluous, thereby minimizing the stimulation provided andthus maximizing the degree to which retrieval is internally driven. Target information retrieval thus achieved helps to preserve and maximally engage a criticallearning effect, namely the so-called “retrieval practice effect,” also called the “testing effect.”Moreover, the manner of information presentation according to the method disclosed hereinenables a new form of errorless learning, with several important advantages.The present invention involves the presentation of information in a manner and underconditions that produce a technical effect, namely the successful retrieval of target informationfrom memory, in such a manner that the presented information produces in the mind of theuser an effect which does not depend on psychological or other subjective factors, but onphysical parameters which are based on human physiology and can be precisely defined.Thus, this effect qualifies as a technical effect.The retrieval of information from memory, also known as recall, like attention and perception,is an extensively researched and well-understood basic physiological process. As with attention and perception, although the particular information brought to mind may vary, coreBals & Vogelaspects of this process are consistent. Attention, perception, and retrieval alike can also be readily manipulated by stimuli, as is central to this case. Moreover, in the context of the present invention, both the physical parameters, such as representation-specific forms of clarity–completeness producing the effect and thephysiological effect itself, i.e., successful recall, are precisely defined and readily observable.With respect to the observation of the underlying technical effect of the present invention, it isto be emphasized that user response data may also be acquired and used for specificpurposes, including changing information presentation based on user performance, such that user abilities and apparatus states are mutually influenced and learning is optimized.Of particular note, acquiring time and degree of clarity–completeness data for moments duringa presentation when retrieval began and ended, i.e., when the response began and when itsuccessfully completed, allows inferring (a) how little or much stimulus support the userneeded to respond correctly and (b) how long the user needed to produce the entire response.Together with the above manner of presentation, these metrics enable a new form of testing and provide more nuanced and fine-grained performance measures than mere response correctness.The present invention optimizes learning by effecting in a user reliably correct yet maximallyinternally driven response generation, i.e., target information retrieval, regardless of an item’scurrent strength in memory. Optionally, the present invention affords the acquisition of novel response measures to further optimize learning as well as to characterize user progress and performance more finely.For stimulating in a user, the method is based on the development of responses to situations.A learning item (roughly analogous to a single flash card) represents a situation and thedesired response to it. For each such item, learning may involve (a) establishing or increasingthe strength in memory of an association, such that, under fitting conditions, the occurrence ofa specific situation more readily and reliably evokes a specific response; (b) improving thequality of and efficiency in producing that response; or both a and b. Within this framework, cue information represents the situation that should evoke a response, and target informationBals & Vogelcorresponds to the response that a user is meant to produce or to retrieve from his or hermemory.In various preferred embodiments, cue and / or target information can be represented visuallyor aurally. Visual modes may include symbol arrangements, such as text or math expressions,images, and videos, for example. Aural modes may include generated speech and / or recordedsounds, for example. Videos synchronized with audio, i.e., movies, are also possible to beused as cue and / or target information. Representations of cue information are ideally perceptually similar to key aspects of actual situations to which appropriate responses should be learned, whereas representations of target information ideally correspond closely with and are able to guide the production of desired responses.In general, the method disclosed herein involves the control of an apparatus to presentinformation in a particular manner to provide the minimal stimulation necessary to cause auser to successfully retrieve target information from memory. Before the advent of modern computers and computer interfaces, reliably inducing retrieval in this manner would have been impracticable. Yet even since their advent, technical means for doing so had heretofore not been developed. Achieving this purpose and its downstream benefits involves at least one user attending topresentations of information via an output device, such as a display and / or a speaker, forexample. For each learning item presented, the user is tasked with attempting to retrieve targetinformation associated with the presented cue information and to explicitly or implicitly producea corresponding response accurately and fluidly as soon as possible – that is, as someonewell-trained on the topic of the learning item would be able to do. The method disclosed herein provides for a simple, independent learning item, whereby itscontent is presented in two steps or phases. First, the user is presented a representation ofBals & Vogelcue information, which prompts and directs the user to retrieve associated information, i.e.,target information, from his or her memory.Next, the user is presented representations of target information that gradually increase inclarity–completeness from initially low to finally high. For this reason, the target information isaltered dynamically in a time frame, such that an amount of perceivable target informationrepresented by the output device increases within the time frame.The rate of this increase is fast enough for clarity–completeness, i.e., the amount ofperceivable target information, to be perceived as increasing, yet slow enough for it not tochange much during the time it would take for a user to react to it or blink.This increase of perceivable target information provides the user with an increasingly salient stimulus in support of the retrieval attempt. Whatever level of activation of the targetinformation in memory that the user can achieve is augmented by gradually increasingperceivable target information, which increasingly stimulates activation in the user until a current threshold for successful retrieval is reached.The method disclosed herein can be adapted for the presentation of a variety of types ofinformation. When these types are complementary, they may be presented concurrently. The concurrent presentation of certain potentially conflicting types of information is expressly disallowed. Complementary representations of cue information reflect different aspects of the same situation, whereas those of target information are indicative of the same response, only in different ways. For such complementary representations, the timing of the phase duringwhich clarity–completeness increases, is particularly important. Accordingly, the clarity–completeness levels, i.e., the particular amounts of perceivable target information, ofcomplementary representations are synchronized to correspond during this time frame. According to the method disclosed herein, the time frame in which the target information is altered dynamically, ends at the fourth time, whereas the target information output may end at the fourth time or even later at a fifth time, or it can remain indefinitely. The end of the outputof target information, such as the removal of static visual target information, may be used toclear space for the output of new information.Bals & VogelFurther, according to the method disclosed herein, cue information may be output at the firsttime, and it is presented long enough to be perceived by a user. The duration over which thecue information is presented is meaningful and may depend on its type. Also, as with staticvisual target information, static visual cue information can remain on-screen until the screen space needs to be used for something else. According to an embodiment, the amount of perceivable target information is increasedcontinuously from the third time to the fourth time.This continuous, in particular gradual, increase of the amount of perceivable target informationgenerates a stimulus that strengthens over time, whereas the user is faced with stress to retrieve the target information as soon as possible.According to another embodiment, increase of the amount of perceivable target information isstopped either at a fifth time when a specific user response is provided by the user, orat the fourth time.When the user provides a specific overt user response, this may either take the form of producing the target information, indicating the ability to produce this information by means of a gesture, or both. This production or gesture by the user indicates successful retrieval of the target information from memory under the stimulus environment at that moment.In order to avoid providing superfluous stimulation, encourage maximum internal generationof the target response, and compel accurate indication of retrieval success, the increase in theamount of perceivable target information is stopped at the moment that the user begins toprovide the specific response or gesture. Acquisition of this user response information furtherallows ascertaining the state of the user with respect to retrieval strength of the particular target information. According to an embodiment, the amount of perceivable target information is increased bydecreasing a degradation, in particular a masking of the target information.Just as there are several ways in which information can be represented, there are also several ways in which the clarity–completeness of representations of target information can be madeBals & Vogelto change over time, i.e., the amount of perceivable target information can be increased.Certain parameters in particular can be used to manipulate representations in a rather direct fashion, and for which both visual and audio equivalents exist. These include equivalent forms for signal strength, low-pass-filter cutoff frequency, and added noise. Signal strength for visual information determines its visibility and can be implemented in the form of the opacity of displayed information. For audio information, it determines its audibility, and can be implemented as the volume of played or generated sound. Added noise, whetherin visual or audio form, can also be employed to affect visibility and audibility by using changingthe signal-to-noise ratio, for example.Low-pass-filter cutoff frequency for visual information determines its visual discriminability –that is, how easily it or its elements can be visually distinguished from others, or identified outright. This can be implemented in the form of Gaussian blurring, where the sigma value effectively provides a spatial cutoff frequency. Depending on the properties of the displaydevice, this can be equivalently implemented via brightness gradients, dithering, or pixel / piecescattering. For audio information, it determines its aural discriminability – how easily it or itselements can be aurally distinguished from others, or identified outright. This can be implemented in the form of low-pass audio filtering. Noise can also be added to affect discriminability. According to another embodiment, an alteration rate with which the target information is altered in the time frame, such that an amount of perceivable target information represented by theoutput device increases from the third time to the fourth time, is changed dynamically withinthe time frame based on physical characteristics of the target information and / or based on a user response provided by the user.For persistent types of information, parameters effecting the increase in clarity–completenessof target information can be changed incrementally.When applied to visual representations of symbol arrangements, such as text, mathematicalexpressions, etc., at least one symbol may appear or disappear over time. Parameters forappearing symbols may affect their visibility, e.g., via opacity, and discriminability, e.g., viaGaussian blur. These parameters work together to gradually increase the recognizability ofBals & Vogelappearing symbols. As disappearance inherently provides less information than appearance, for disappearing symbols only a parameter affecting visibility need be applied. Since elements of symbol arrangements are typically read in certain orders, at certain rates,the start of appearance or disappearance of each symbol may be timed to correspond to suchorders and estimations of such rates, effectively concentrating clarity–completeness changes on where the focus of reading is likely to be centered. When applied to visual representations of an image, the image appears over time. When such an image is superimposed on a static image, this results in a changing image. Parameters for an appearing image affect the visibility and discriminability of its features. These parameters work together to gradually increase the recognizability of any of the image’s features, including their brightness, brightness contrast, color, color contrast, contours, etc. Transient information, even when unaltered, inherently increases in clarity–completeness as it is transmitted, in the sense that the information provided to the user accumulates over time. Yet this normal increase in clarity–completeness is rather rapid. Thus, to facilitate a slower increase, a method is presented in which such transient information is repeatedly presented, in stepwise fashion, such that each presented representation is more clear–complete, i.e.,shows a higher amount of perceivable target information, than the last. The process underlyingthis is the stepwise change in the values of parameters affecting clarity–completeness.According to an embodiment, the alteration rate is increased in proportion to the weakness ofa signal of the target information at each spatial or temporal frequency, such that the alteration rate is higher over spatial or temporal frequencies that convey less information. Several types of target information may involve parameters that effectively control the range of spatial or temporal frequencies included in representations of information. As the range ofincluded frequencies increases, so does the clarity–completeness, i.e., the amount ofperceivable information of the presented target information. Normally these changes occurwithout regard to how much information is actually revealed over any particular includedfrequencies. Yet given that information is typically not evenly distributed throughout thesefrequency ranges, this can result in periods during which little to no useful information is revealed and, overall, a potentially uneven revealing of such information over time. To furtherBals & Vogelsmooth out the gradual revealing of information, in addition to frequency information, the signal strength at each frequency can also be factored into the presentation rate, such that the rateof frequency change is increased in proportion to the weakness of the signal at eachfrequency. In effect, the rate is higher over frequencies that convey less information, thus allowing for a more evenly gradual increase in the clarity–completeness of its representations.When applied to dynamic audio, video, or movie information, repeated presentation withstepwise parameter increases is involved. For (recorded or generated) audio, parameters that facilitate increases in aural discriminability (e.g., low-pass filter cutoff frequency) are adjusted. For video, parameters that facilitate increases in visibility and visual discriminability (e.g., opacity and Gaussian filter sigma value) are adjusted. For movies, parameters for both audio and video components can be adjusted. According to another embodiment, the target information comprises visual representations of an image altered to home in on a location of interest, wherein the image is visually degraded in the peripheral areas, and wherein a size of the visually degraded peripheral areas is altered in the time frame, such that an information area including the perceivable target representedby the output device narrows from the third time to the fourth time.When applied to homing in on a location of interest, i.e., an information area within an image,the image can be altered to distinguish between the location and regions outside of it to varying levels of precision, or approximation. To avoid providing inadvertent hints, the location of interest and the regions outside of it may be deliberately not clearly delineated. The region outside of the location may be visually degraded, and size of the non-degraded area surrounding the location decreases, effectively providing increasingly precise location information. To indicate the exact location, a marker, such as an arrowhead can also be made to gradually appear at the conclusion of this homing-in process. According to another embodiment, the target information comprises audio presentations ofinformation, wherein the audibility of the audio representations is altered in the time frame,such that an amount of perceivable target information represented by the output device increases from the third time to the fourth time.Bals & VogelWhen applied to audio, video, or movie information, repeated presentation with stepwise parameter increases is involved. For recorded or generated audio, parameters that facilitateincreases in aural discriminability, e.g., low-pass-filter cutoff frequency, are adjusted. Forvideo, parameters that facilitate increases in visibility and visual discriminability, e.g., opacityand Gaussian filter sigma value are adjusted. For movies, parameters for both audio and video components can be adjusted. According to an embodiment, an instant transition between a minimal amount of perceivable target information and a maximum amount of perceivable target information is smoothened by a smoothing function that is based on a given pre-post duration of approximately between0.250 s and 0.500 s centered on a time of change.Instantaneous transitions between the non-presentation and presentation of aural and visualstimuli can be aversive and fatiguing. Accordingly, smoothing functions commonly in use can be applied to ease such transitions. The following smoothstep functions, or similar variants,would fittingly be included in practical applications of nearly all of the presentation functionsbelow. They were not included there in order to more clearly depict the primary features ofthose functions.The following modified smoothstep equation eases instant increases from 0 to 1 over pre–postduration 2^ (with 0.125 s ≤ ^ ≤ 0.250 s), centered on time of change ^^: Minor changes to this equation ease instant decreases from 1 to 0: Bals & VogelFor both of the above equations, a good initial value, subject to testing, for duration ^ wouldbe ^ = 0.200 s.According to an embodiment, a plurality of ordered stimuli is presented, the plurality of orderedstimuli comprises a first stimulus and at least one second stimulus after the first stimulus,wherein the first stimulus comprises cue information and target information, and wherein eachsecond stimulus comprises target information only.By presenting sequences wherein already presented target information also serves as cueinformation (a) sequence-dependent learning items and (b) sequentially arranged targetinformation within a learning item may be realized. Where learning items are presented insequence, the target information from the just-presented learning item substitutes for and serves as cue information in the currently presented learning item. For within-learning-item sequences, just-presented target information serves as cue information for the presentation of further target information. Thus, the target information presented just prior to a second stimulusmay function as cue information for a subsequent stimulus.Processes a and b can be employed one or more times, independently or in combination, in effect allowing for the “chaining” of learning items and target information within learning items. This is particularly useful for learning cascading associations, which would be difficult or impossible to manage with single, independent learning items in which all target information is presented together. An illustrative use case for such chaining is the learning and memorization of a long poem, wherein each line of a stanza is presented in sequence within a learning item, and the entire sequence of stanzas is presented via an ordered group of such items. Persistent representations of information, such as still images, texts, and steady tones, can be presented at once and persist until removed. In contrast, transient representations, such as speech, dynamic audio, and videos, must be conveyed over time and inherently exist only in the moment.According to another embodiment, user response data are acquired and stored for presentedtarget information, wherein the user response data comprise a level of alteration of the targetinformation at a response time at which a user response is provided.Bals & VogelAs mentioned above, data can be acquired relating to the degree of clarity–completeness atthe time of the user’s response upon successfully retrieving target information. This allowsinferring a minimal stimulation that was necessary to cause the user to successfully retrievetarget information from the user´s memory. This stands in contrast to currently pervasive dichotomous “right / wrong” test measures, which give no information about degrees of learning beyond what can be inferred from retrieval success or failure. Also, when combined with traditional response data, such as response time and, lesscommonly, duration, further performance information can be inferred. For example, whenclarity–completeness has already reached a maximum, how quickly the user responds tells something about how efficiently the user was able to process the presented target information.Moreover, the duration of the user’s response, i.e., its completion time, may also be affectedby how much stimulation was provided, which tells something about the user’s production fluency. Thus, the acquisition of such user data allows obtaining various graded measures relating to how well situation–response associations and response performances have been learned. These data, together with those above, allow for assessing user learning andperformance more finely than heretofore.According to another embodiment, a user’s performance is assigned to a performance level based on the user response data.When applied to a number of presented learning items, the acquisition and analysis ofpresentation and response data allows for assessing various user performance abilities.According to another embodiment, a number of stimuli associated with a number of learningitems, each comprising specific cue information and specific target information, is used forgenerating a prediction of user performance, and learning notifications and / orrecommendations associated with the generated prediction are output.As a user responds to presented learning items, i.e., stimuli, data regarding the user’sperformance on each item, group of items, and learning item set are stored. These stored datacan then periodically be analyzed, and calculations can be performed to predict how well theuser would perform if presented these items at the time of this check. Depending on the results,Bals & Vogelthe device may then notify the user to study an item, group, or set, or recommend their study, to varying levels of urgency. This process, which relies on the unique graded user performance data acquired, removes the burden of the user needing to remember and make such studyjudgements him- or herself.According to another embodiment, one or more of the following actions are performed basedon the predicted user performance: removing a number of learning items from a session,ordering a number of learning items in a sequence of to-be-presented items, or adjusting amanner of presentation of the number of learning items. In preparation for and during learning sessions, several presentation adjustments may also take place. Using current, most-recently updated user performance data, calculations are performed to predict the user’s performance on one or more learning items in the currentlearning session. Then, learning items may be removed from the session, their presentationsequence may be ordered in a particular manner, and the manner in which they are presented may also be changed. These steps put the learning focus on those items most in need of studying and alter the presentation to optimize studying benefits. When the manner in which a learning item is presented is changed, this is done as follows: Calculations are performed to determine a probability distribution for the prediction of said clarity–completeness level at response time; then the rate of increase in clarity–completeness of the target information is adjusted so that it is slower over any interval where the user is more likely to respond, and correspondingly faster elsewhere. To the extent that sufficiently precise predictions for any learning item are available, such rate adjustments help to prevent superfluous stimulation, yet also avoid unnecessarily increasing learning-item presentation times. According to another embodiment, the cue information is presented as part of an information package, wherein the cue information is identified as cue information dynamically based on a user response. By using user response, such as the time the user’s eyes rest on a particular portion of a screen, an attempt of the user for trying to retrieve target information from his or her memory can be identified. Thus, in the case such an attempt is identified, the information presented toBals & Vogelthe user that makes him or her try to retrieve target information from his or her memory canbe used as cue information, and the target information can be presented in a dynamicallyaltered way in the time frame as described above, such that an amount of perceivable targetinformation represented by the output device increases from the third time to the fourth time.An information package containing cue information may be presented via an e-book thatdepicts a variety of images or concepts that may serve as cue information that the user wouldwant to be able to identify, describe, explain, answer, or otherwise respond to by targetinformation in a consistent, fluid manner.The user can read or glance at or choose to listen to audio about anything on any given pageof the e-book. But as soon as the user indicates wanting to generate the target information, i.e., to respond by retrieving target information from his or her memory, this target informationis gradually presented with increasing clarity–completeness, i.e., presented in a dynamicallyaltered way in the time frame as described above, such that an amount of perceivable targetinformation represented by the output device increases from the third time to the fourth time.According to an embodiment, the user response is measured by an eye tracker.Eye tracking, where a sufficiently long dwell time, i.e., gazing at the cue information of onelearning item can trigger the presentation of target information with increasing clarity–completeness.Alternatively, tapping on the cue information of interest could also trigger the presentation oftarget information with increasing clarity–completeness.User response data could be collected in a similar manner to what was previously describedabove. And those learning items ripe for further training could be highlighted and their presentation adjusted, as needed.According to a second aspect, the present invention relates to a system for minimallystimulating in a user the retrieval of target information from memory.Bals & VogelThe system disclosed herein comprises an output device, a processor, and a memory, whereinthe memory stores instructions that cause the processor to execute an embodiment of the method disclosed herein. The processor may be a central processing unit of a computer, in particular a mobile device. Thus, the system may be a computer or a mobile device, such as smartphone, for example. The memory may be a local memory of a computer or a mobile device, or a network sever,such as a cloud server, for example, connected to the processor via a wireless interface.In particular, the method may be provided as an application or “app” executed on a smartphone, such that a screen of the smartphone is used as the output device.According to a third aspect, the present invention relates to a program product, the programproduct comprising program code means that cause a computing unit to implement anembodiment of the method disclosed herein, when the program code means are executed bythe computing unit. The program product may be an application or “app”. The program product may be downloadable from a server to a local computing device such as a smartphone or a computer,for example.According to a fourth aspect, the present invention relates to a computer-readable mediumcomprising instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to implementan embodiment of the method disclosed herein.The computer-readable medium may be the hard-drive of a computer system or a server, or aflash memory, in particular a non-transitory storage.According to a fifth aspect, the present invention relates to the use of an embodiment of themethod and / or the system and / or the program product and / or the computer-readable mediumdisclosed herein, for carrying out a test of a user’s performance in retrieval of target information from memory.Bals & VogelAccording to a sixth aspect, the present invention relates to the use of an embodiment of themethod and / or the system and / or the program product and / or the computer-readable mediumdisclosed herein as a learning aid.Description of the accompanying drawings Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, to give those skilled in the art a clearer understanding of the abovementioned and other features and advantages of the present invention. In the drawings:Fig. 1 shows the two main phases to the presentation of information over time, along withimages that illustrate how representations can appear at specific time points and change overspecific intervals according to an embodiment of the method disclosed herein.Fig. 2 shows the time course for between-learning-item chaining of representations ofinformation.Fig. 3 shows the time course for within-learning-item chaining of representations ofinformation.Fig. 4 shows the time course of factors relating to initially presented static visual information.Fig. 5 shows the time course of factors relating to initially presented static audio information.Fig. 6 shows the time course of factors relating to initially presented dynamic information.Fig. 7 shows the time courses of factors relating to initially presented image, subsequentlypresented location information.Fig. 8 shows the time course of factors relating to initially presented, subsequentlydisappeared symbol information.Fig. 9 shows the time course of factors relating to subsequently presented symbol information.Bals & VogelFig. 10 shows the time course of factors relating to subsequently presented image information.Fig. 11 shows the time course of factors relating to subsequently presented static audioinformation.Fig. 12 shows the time course of factors relating to subsequently presented dynamicinformation.Fig. 13 presents a table that shows how each target information type changes, isparameterized, and is depicted at various levels of clarity–completeness.Fig. 14 shows how the user’s response can affect the further presentation of static visualinformation.Fig. 15 shows how the user’s response can affect the further presentation of dynamicinformation.Fig. 16A shows a possibility for the adjustment of target information presentation to a predicteduser response, in general.Fig. 16B shows a possibility for the adjustment of target information presentation to a predictedearly user response.Fig. 16C shows a possibility for the adjustment of target information presentation to a predictedlate user response.Fig. 17 diagrams the overall processing sequence for learning items immediately before andduring each learning session.Fig. 18 diagrams the filtering stage, during which only learning items that meet certain criteriaare included in the set for subsequent presentation.Fig. 19 diagrams the ordering stage, during which the initial presentation sequence for learningitems is set.Bals & VogelFig. 20A diagrams presentation-stage item presentation processes, which include datagathering. Flow connection points A and B correspond to those in Fig.20B.Fig. 20B diagrams presentation-stage presentation-change processes, which includeadjusting whether, when, and how items are presented or re-presented. Flow connection points A and B correspond to those in Fig.20A.Fig. 21 illustrates the Text Display View for editing a learning item’s text and whether or how itis displayed.Fig. 22 illustrates the Text Speech View for editing a learning item’s text and whether or howit is generated as speech.Fig. 23 illustrates the Text Languages View for editing a learning item’s text and thelanguage(s) and dialect(s) used to interpret it for display or speech generation.Fig. 24 illustrates parts of the Audio and Visuals View displayed when a visual element hasbeen included in a learning item and has been selected for managing its presentation.Fig. 25 illustrates parts of the Audio and Visuals View displayed when an audio element hasbeen included in a learning item and has been selected for managing its presentation.Fig. 26 illustrates the Layout View for viewing and managing the bounding regions and relativepositions of displayed text and visual media.Fig. 27 shows how the Text Display View settings for specific textual information affect itsdisplay over time during its presentation.Fig.28 illustrates an embodiment of the system according to the present invention. The following describes a preferred embodiment of the current invention in the form of a learning application implemented via software on a mobile computing device, such as a smartphone. Such an application would be used to facilitate acquiring, memorizing, andBals & Vogeltraining to spontaneously and fluently produce (e.g., bring to mind, vocalize, gesture, etc.)information within the framework of situation–response learning. The current invention represents the core of the application’s functionality, as it determines the manner in which learning content is presented, which precludes retrieval failure via minimal external stimulation.In doing so, it minimizes learning problems and introduces substantial advantages relative toexisting learning tools. Moreover, invention features that expand on this manner of presentation allow the application to assess user performance and change contentpresentation accordingly, to further optimize learning effects and the learning experience.A learning item, in the context of the present invention, represents a unit of learnableinformation. In this embodiment, such items are typically grouped into sets. The contents of any one such set are meant to be studied, one after the other, in a learning session. Sets oflearning items are stored in files or packages, i.e., directories and files that appear to the useras single files that contain the data and metadata for each learning item in its respective set.Sets can be created from scratch, generated by importing data from other sources, or edited by creating, adding, editing, removing, grouping, ordering, or otherwise altering their learning items. Learning items comprise the information to which this invention is applied. Although there is great flexibility to the learning content they may convey, in order for the presentation ofinformation to produce the desired physiological effect – namely, the successful retrieval oftarget information from memory – their design is constrained. The following provides theframework for their creation and editing.Each learning item can be set to be presented (a) independently from other learning items (thedefault), (b) as a member of an unordered group, or (c) as a member of an ordered group.Items presented independently are the simplest to consider; thus, their creation and editing isdiscussed here first. Independent learning items contain both cue and target information. Cue information is whatone sets to present initially, that is, before the presentation of any perceivable representationsof target information. It represents the situation that should prompt and direct the user to learn, remember, and produce a specific target response. It can be represented visually, aurally, or both. It may include brief instructions or general contextual information, though these shouldBals & Vogelbe set to be presented less prominently than the specific cue meant to elicit the target response. Cue information may also include information that disappears just prior to or during the appearance of target information. Target information is what one sets to be presented in a gradually increasingly clear–complete form, subsequent to the onset of cue information. It corresponds to the specific target responsethat the user is meant to produce. Just before the target information is presented as such, anuntrained user – that is, one who hasn’t yet learned to associate the target with the cue – wouldnot be able to produce it. After it is fully perceivably presented, that same user would be ableto produce it, though perhaps not yet as proficiently as desired.Target information differs from cue information only in when and how it is represented. By theend of an item’s representation, the desired target response should always be clear, even in the presence of cue information that has not disappeared.Importantly, some information can serve as both cue information and target information. Thisis especially true for situations in which the cue represents to-be-completed or -correctedinformation, e.g., thresh _ _ _ or threshhold, and the target represents the completed orcorrected form, e.g., threshold.All information that is initially presented can be construed as cue information, as it cancontribute to the elicitation of the target response. Target information, on the other hand, mustbe comprised, at least in part, of information that can gradually be changed since the initialpresentation of information. Before this transition, a clear–complete representation of thetarget information is not apparent. After the transition, a clear–complete representation of thetarget information is apparent.As stated above, in addition to the independent learning items just discussed, items can also be created to be presented as members of an unordered group or as members of an ordered group. In particular, items can be set as members of specific groups so that they get presentedin close temporal proximity or even right after one another.Bals & VogelSetting an item as a group member merely requires assigning it a group label, although it is not treated as such until at least one other item has the same group label. All items with the same label are presented together, with no other learning items presented between them. When the order in which grouped items should be presented doesn’t matter, they should be left unordered, which is the default. This can be useful for juxtaposing confusable situations or responses, so that these can be better contrasted during learning. Items can also be set as members of ordered groups. Each item in such a group is thus presented in a specific order relative to other group members. Among other possibilities, this allows for chaining together information, such that the previously presented item’s target information can serve as the current item’s cue information. This can be helpful for learning sequences of target responses,such as the lines and stanzas of a long poem.Only learning items with group labels can be assigned order numbers. Deleting an item’s grouplabel also removes its order number. To set the members of a group to ordered, each item in the group must first be assigned a unique positive integer. For an item being edited, if it doesn’talready have a number but at least one other item in the group does, the lowest availablenumber is always suggested. Non-unique numbers are rejected. Once every member in the group has been assigned a number, the group is automatically set to ordered. To indicate whether a group’s members are all numbered and will be presented in order, the number fieldis marked accordingly.Each independent item, unordered group item, and first item of an ordered group must containcue information – that is, information that is presented initially. If such information is missing,the learning item, or group of learning items, cannot be set as “playable.” Regarding target information, irrespective of a learning item’s independence or grouping, it must contain at least some gradually changing information, as this underlies presenting increasingly clear-complete representations of target information. If not, it cannot be set as “playable.” Before the beginningof each learning session, any items not set as playable are filtered out and, thus, are notpresented. Among other types of information, learning items can contain “text.” This term is used broadly here for brevity, but is meant to include all spatial arrangements of symbols, both serially ordered characters, as in actual text, and others, as in mathematical formulas.Bals & VogelWhether and how text in a learning item is presented is controlled in three closely relatedviews: the Text Display View is shown in Fig. 21, the Text Speech View is shown in Fig.22,and the Text Languages View is shown in Fig.23. Each view displays a set of on-screenbuttons unique to that view, as well as a text editing area. Each shows the same text, though in each view the text is displayed, and can be marked up, in a manner specific to that view.That is, each symbol or group of symbols is independently codable for how it should bedisplayed, should be spoken, and in which language or dialect it should be represented. Text in these views is displayed in the form of static, editable strings of characters. How these are displayed in all three text views is affected by the Text Languages View itself. That is, changing the language of a string of characters, or portion thereof, may change how characters appear on screen, which characters are available for entry, and the left–right direction in which those characters are ordered.Special “delimiter” characters, e.g., for “math mode,” to facilitate setting strings, or portionsthereof, to be represented differently from ordinary text, e.g., as a mathematical expressioninstead, are displayed as characters here, but are interpreted as spatially arranged symbolsin the Layout View as shown in Fig. 26, Presentation Check View, and Session View. In thelatter two, the text is also dynamically presented according to how it was set in these text editing views. Across all views, text is normally interpreted as actual text, unless delimiter characters indicate different interpretations. The Text Display View as shown in Fig.21 facilitates managing whether and how any text in a learning item is displayed during learning sessions. It contains buttons for setting inserted or selected text to any of the below display modes. To facilitate editing, each button’s appearance is reflected in the similar appearance of any elements set to the display mode it represents.Text display modes include static high-contrast 109 as default; static low-contrast 110; statichidden 111; disappearing space-retaining 112; disappearing space-releasing 113; appearing space-reserving 114; and appearing space-acquiring 115.Bals & VogelIn Figure 21, the display mode of “Präpositionen” is set to static low-contrast 110; the “?” character is set to disappearing space-releasing 113; five other characters are set to appearingspace-acquiring 115; and the rest are set to the default static high-contrast 109.The Text Speech View as shown in Fig.22 facilitates managing whether and how any text in a learning item is spoken by the device, via generated speech, during learning sessions. It contains buttons for setting inserted or selected text to any of the below speech modes. To facilitate editing, each button’s appearance is reflected in the similar appearance of any elements set to the display mode it represents.Text speech modes include normally spoken 116 as default, non-spoken 117, and phased-in118 in stepwise fashion, for example. Due to the repetitious manner of presentation forphased-in text, only short segments, e.g., corresponding to less than 3 s of speaking time,may be set. In Figure 22, the speech mode of “Wortübersetzung” is set to non-spoken 117; “dasGeheimnis” is set to phased-in 118; and the rest is set to the default – normally spoken 116.To preclude sound conflicts, if any text is set to normally spoken 116, this disables buttons inthe Audio and Visuals View, in Fig. 24 for visuals, in Fig. 25 for audio, for setting normallyplayed sounds 129 whether static or dynamic and normally played movies 124, when soundis integrated with video. Similarly, if any text is set to phased-in 118, this disables buttons for setting faded-in static sounds 130, phased-in dynamic sounds 131, and phased-in movies 126. The Text Languages View visualized by Fig. 23 facilitates managing the languages anddialects in which any text in a learning item is presented on screen or spoken by the deviceduring learning sessions. It contains buttons for setting inserted or selected text to any of the language modes available, which depends on app settings and the current learning item’s previously set contents. To facilitate editing, each button’s appearance is reflected in the similar appearance of any elements set to the display mode it represents.Text language modes include “unset” 119 as default, which uses the current language settingof the app, the first language set in the settings 120, and the second language set in the settings 121.Bals & VogelIn the settings, from the languages and dialects made available by the device’s operating system, up to two can be chosen to appear there. If the learning item contains text that waspreviously set in other languages, buttons for these are also displayed, e.g., 122 and 123.Although this means that, in addition to the “unset” button, up to four set language buttons maybe displayed, these are systematically enabled and disabled to allow making changes, yet alsopreclude any learning item from containing text set in more than two languages in addition to unset text. Depending on the overlap between languages set in the settings and languages set in the currently viewed learning item, the first three or four, or all five, of the buttons are marked to reflect the situation. In Figure 23, the first language chosen in the settings was Korean as spoken in South Korea, for example, which is why it is shown here, in button 120. The second language chosen in thesettings was Mandarin Chinese, as spoken in mainland China, for example, which is reflectedin button 121. The learning item currently being viewed, however, contains text in neither of these language modes. Rather, the language mode of “the secret” is set to English, as spoken in the US, for example, which is reflected by the availability of a correspondingly marked button 123; “das Geheimnis” is set to German, as spoken in Germany, for example, reflected in its own button122; “Wortübersetzung” is set to the default “unset” 119.In addition to or instead of the aforementioned text, learning items can contain any of various kinds of audio or visual information, including images, audio files, videos, and movies. A maximum of two of any type or combination of these may be selected for inclusion in a learningitem. A set of on-screen buttons, which is not shown, allows for various inclusion options,including new image capture, new video / movie capture, new audio recording, stored image import, stored video / movie import, and stored audio import. Two side-by-side placeholders for these are available, either or both of which can be filled. Once added in the Audio and Visuals View, static images display here normally, whereasvideos and movies display the middle image from the series of images they comprise. ThisBals & Vogelrepresentative image can be changed by scrolling through the individual images that make up the video / movie. Audio is displayed graphically by its corresponding waveform.Selecting an already imported audio or visual element changes the available on-screenbuttons to those relevant to that element type.For images, videos, and movies, visualized by Fig. 24, available buttons include normaldisplay / play 124 as default, static in-image location 125, appearing / phased-in 126, in-image-location homing 127, and remove visual element 128. Both in-image location options are only enabled for images, in particular still images. If either is chosen, an arrowhead appears at thecenter of the image, along with two handles – one for dragging the tip of the arrowhead to alocation of interest, the other for setting the direction that the arrowhead points. To preclude conflicts, if any video or movie is set to play 124, this button is disabled for any other video or movie. Similarly, if an image, video, or movie is set to appearing / phased-in 126, this option cannot be chosen for a second image, video, or movie. Additionally, if an image orvideo is set to appearing / phased-in 126, only in-image-location homing 127 cannot be chosen;but if a movie is set to appearing / phased-in 126, in-image-location homing 127, increasingsound volume 130, phased-in sound 131, and phased-in spoken text 118 cannot be chosen.Finally, if in-image-location homing 127 is selected, this button is disabled for any other image; the buttons for increasing sound volume 130, phased-in sound 131, faded-in / phased-in images / videos / movies 126, and phased-in spoken text 118 are also disabled.For audio, as visualized in Fig. 25, available buttons include normal play 129 as default,increasing volume 130, phased-in in stepwise fashion, for example 131, and remove audioelement 132. Selecting normal play 129 brings up a centrally placed selection range. This range can be moved to anywhere in the waveform, but is limited, for practical reasons, to lessthan 3 s. When set to a minimum duration, only the static tone or tones from the selected timepoint will be presented. Selecting increasing volume 130 places a cursor centrally in thewaveform. This cursor can then be moved to anywhere in the waveform. Only a static tone orsound at the cursor position will be presented.Selecting phased-in 131 brings up a centrally placed selection range. Due to the repetitiousmanner of presentation for phased-in audio, only short segments, e.g., corresponding to lessBals & Vogelthan 3 s of audio, may be set. This selection range can then be moved to anywhere in thewaveform, yet still with its maximum duration limited.To preclude sound conflicts, if normal, i.e., static or dynamic sound play 129 is selected, thisbutton is disabled for any other sound element; the buttons for normal presentation of a movie 124 and normally spoken text 116 are also disabled. If increasing volume 130 is selected, this button is disabled for any other sound element; the buttons for in-image-location homing 127, phased-in dynamic sounds 131, phased-in movies 126, and phased-in spoken text 118 are also disabled. If phased-in sounds 131 is selected, this button is disabled for any other sound element; the buttons for in-image-location homing 127, increasing volume 130, phased-in movies 126, and phased-in spoken text 118 are also disabled.The Layout View shown in Fig.26 facilitates positioning and adjusting the bounding regions ofany learning item visual elements, to optimize the item’s appearance and comprehensibility. Moving and resizing are done by selecting an element and then dragging it from its center or dragging one of its resizing handles. Specific constraints variously allow overlaying images with text or other images, or placing them in other functional arrangements. For example, in some arrangements text flows around images, whereas in others it is superimposed on them.Resizing the bounding box for a visual element may change how text flows across lines, but itdoes not change the size of the text. Text cannot be covered, and neither can graduallyappearing visual elements.To see and adjust exactly how learning item elements are juxtaposed at each phase of an item’s presentation, three buttons are available. Tapping the first 133 shows only those textualand other visual elements that appear at the beginning of the item’s presentation – that is, cueinformation. Tapping the middle button 134 shows only those elements, as well asplaceholders for things in transition, on display during the middle of the item’s presentation –that is, as the target information begins to take form. Any remaining cue information is also shown. And tapping the last button 135 shows only those elements present at the end of theitem’s presentation – that is, a clear–complete representation of the target information, as wellas any remaining cue information.Bals & VogelIn the Layout View, text is normally displayed as such, whereas text demarcated byappropriate delimiters is displayed as spatially arranged symbols, e.g., a mathematicalexpression. In a learning item’s display, text can occupy up to eight rows of vertically centered space.Adding empty lines via extra return characters allows for more customized text placementdespite such automatic centering. In each row, text not preceded by a tab character is left-aligned. Text after a single tab character is centered, and text after a second tab character isright aligned. These horizontal alignment rules are reversed for right-to-left languages.If text inserted in a row exceeds the maximum line width, a soft return is inserted, i.e., the textis split and continued on the row below it. Importantly, regardless of how text may wrap at theend of a row or flow around an object, e.g., an image, this is done in consideration of howspace-acquiring and space-releasing characters change spacing for their rows over time. During the presentation of a learning item, no text ever “jumps” from one row or flowed position to another. Any symbol set to static hidden 111 is not displayed and does not affect the positioning of other symbols. The positioning of any static high-contrast 109 or static low-contrast 110 symbol does not change the positioning of other symbols in the same row over time. Likewise, when any disappearing space-retaining 112 symbol disappears, the space in its row that it occupied remains. Similarly, before any appearing space-reserving 114 symbol appears, the space that it will occupy is held for it from the beginning of the learning item’s presentation onward. In contrast, when any disappearing space-releasing 113 symbol disappears, the space in its row that it occupied at the beginning of the presentation is released. Other symbols in the same row shift closer to one another accordingly, to occupy the space released. For each appearing space-acquiring 115 symbol, space is created just before or as it appears, such that other symbols in its row are displaced to accommodate it. In the Presentation Check View, individual learning items can be checked as to how they will be visually and aurally presented during learning sessions. This presentation mode is notinteractive – that is, it does not pause for responses, and it is not altered in any way based onBals & Vogelprior responses. The current item’s presentation can, however, be paused or repeated. Details about how learning items are presented are provided below. For learning sessions, much of the user’s task is self-explanatory. Typically, situations to which the user must respond are in the form of questions to be answered, incomplete information to be completed, features in images to be recognized or located, named actions to be demonstrated, etc. Yet for the purpose of acquiring response data, some instructions are often necessary. In the embodiment described here, it is assumed that the user only answers correctly, as per the instructions. Accordingly, the user only needs to signal, and the deviceonly needs to record, the beginning and end of each response – not its correctness, per se.An abridged version of the following instructions would be provided for such a scheme: Once this session begins and as each learning item is presented, watch the main display area for visuals, and listen to any audio.For each item, after the initial cue information is presented, try to provide the correct, i.e., mostfitting or expected, response to it as soon as possible in a manner that a well-trained personwould. An overt response is preferred, but responding “internally” is acceptable.The following instructions may be used: Never guess; only respond when you’re sure that your response is correct. During your attempt, an amount of gradually increasingly perceivable target information will be presented to help you remember or learn the correct response. Exactly when you begin responding, place one finger on the screen; and exactly when you’re done responding, remove your finger from the screen. This tells the app the time and duration of your response, which helps it determine how well you’ve learned this item so far. If you want to pause the session, place two or more fingers on the screen at any time. When you remove your fingers, the session will continue with the next item. Your performance on the paused item won’t count. It will be presented again later. You can also do this to skip the current item if, for example, you were distracted during its presentation. This session will end once you have correctly responded to each item quickly enough and for an acceptable duration. Otherwise, the session may end if you exceed the maximum sessionBals & Vogelduration, if any stop time that you may have set for this session is reached, or if you choose to end it manually by tapping on the “end session” button. The default is for the Session Instructions View to display before the beginning of eachsession. This can be changed so that the session instead begins right away, i.e., withoutshowing instructions. The Session View is where the process of the current invention is employed to achieve its physiological effect. In this user interface, learning sessions are set in motion, during which any number of independent, unordered grouped, or ordered grouped learning items in a set are presented. It also allows for collecting user responses. These responses, in turn, affect the further progress of the presentation. The basic process of the current invention can be illustrated as applied to a single independentlearning item. Fig. 1 shows an example of a method 100 according to the present inventionand depicts two phases in the presentation of information over time: Initially, a representationof cue information 101 is presented, depicted here by a thick, dashed line, which prompts anddirects the user to attempt target information retrieval. In this case, a music key signature and a six-note chord are displayed. This might also be accompanied by contextual text information, such as “What’s the corresponding guitar fingering?”Subsequently, gradually increasingly clear–complete representations of target information,depicted here by the solid line, are presented to facilitate target information retrieval. In thefigure, five time points from the changing display are shown – each depicting a greater levelof clarity–completeness, from 0% 102 to 25% 103 to 50% 104 to 75% 105 to 100% 106. This gradually provides the user with an increasingly salient stimulus in support of target information retrieval and engagement in a corresponding response.To facilitate learning sequential information, e.g., an alphabet, the above process can bealtered and implemented via ordered groups of learning items. The presentation of the first ofany sequence of learning items generally begins as above, with explicit cue information, e.g.,“Name each letter of the alphabet, starting with . ..”. Subsequent items, however, can use thetarget information of the preceding learning item, e.g., “A” as cue information for the currentone, e.g., “B.” Accordingly, all but the first item need not explicitly present cue information.Bals & VogelFig. 2 illustrates two “links” of such a “chaining” process. The thick, dashed line shows thepresentation of target information for the preceding learning item, now acting as cue information. And the solid line shows the presentation of target information for the current learning item.To accommodate sequences within learning items, e.g., textual information, spanning morethan one line, another chaining variant may also be employed. Fig.3 illustrates two such chaining process links. In this case, target information presented inone line of text, represented by the thick, dashed line, serves to cue the retrieval of targetinformation presented in the next, represented by the solid line.In the preferred embodiment, this is consistent with presenting sequentially scanned, i.e., user-read, target information gradually in the direction of reading at the user’s reading rate.The above chaining methods may also be combined, as might be useful for learning the lines of each stanza of a poem within a learning item and learning the sequence of stanzas across an ordered group of such items. For each learning item, certain function and timing criteria hold. Intervals corresponding to thetime points in Fig.1 and others are detailed here:It is to be emphasized that ^^ is always included whenever and immediately before cue information is presented. It serves to clearly separate the ensuing presentation from what wentbefore it. Its duration is nominally set to 1 s, such that = ^^ + 1 s.It is to be emphasized that to ^^is the interval over which the cue information is presented to be read, visually scanned, or heard by the user. If no cue information is presented, neither this interval nor the preceding one is implemented. This information needs only to be presentedlong enough to prompt and direct target information retrieval, yet some kinds of informationmay remain longer.For symbol arrangements, e.g., text, this interval may be based on the number of characterspresented ^^ and an estimate of the user’s reading rate ^, in characters per second (cps),Bals & Vogelwhere ^^ = ^^ +^^^. For ^ = 15 cps, a line with 45 characters would take about 3 s to read.Low-contrast characters, normally used for brief, non-specific instructions and to provide general context, may be excluded from this count. For other static visual information and for audio information, this may be based on an arbitrary,potentially settable, visual scan or listening time ^, where ^ = + ^. A value of ^ = 3 slikely suffice for most purposes. For generated speech, dynamic audio, video, and movie information, this would be based onits actual duration ^, where ^ = + ^. For practical purposes, such information maylimited to ^ ≤ 3 s.When different types of information are presented concurrently, the longest duration information type prevails for determining the length of this interval. It is to be emphasized that ^^to ^^represents a short gap between the presentation of cue and target information. Although this gap is not strictly necessary, providing it more readily affords the user sufficient time to respond to the cue before any target information has been presented.It is set here to twice the user’s estimated general reaction time ^, such that ^^ = ^^ + 2^.Unless measured, ^ = 0.25 s would be a reasonable estimate.It is to be emphasized that ^^to ^^is the interval over which the target information is gradually increasingly made more clear–complete, effectively gradually increasing its salience as an external stimulus in support of user target information retrieval. This interval is based on the clarity–completeness (CC) change rate for this phase. The desired physiological effect may be achieved over a range of presentation rates, yet should be constrained as follows: At the slowest, it must nevertheless be fast enough such that the user generally perceives CC as increasing, as opposed to appearing to stay the same. At thefastest, it must be slow enough such that if the user were to respond to the stimulus at a certainlevel of CC, the change in CC during the user’s response time should be relatively small –certainly less than 20% of the total CC change. In terms of the total duration of this interval,the fastest rate would take more than 5^, or five times the user’s response time. A generallyBals & Vogelpreferable, more moderate rate of change might be 20^ = 20(0.25 s) = 5 s, corresponding toa 5% change within response time ^ = 0.25 s. Under these criteria, ^^ = ^^ + 20^ for all butsymbol arrangement information types. For symbol arrangements, ^, to accommodate the sequential presentation start of individual symbols within a line atreading rate.It is to be emphasized that ^^ to ^^ is the interval over which persistent, e.g., static, visual targetinformation remains on screen to be read or visually scanned in its final, fully clear–completeform. This interval does not apply for transient, e.g., dynamic, sound target information.For symbol arrangements, its duration is the same as described for the ^^to ^^interval: ^^= ^^+^^, only in this case only those symbols comprising target information are counted. For other static visual information, its duration is also the same as described for the to ^^interval: ^^ = ^^ + ^, only in this case it applies to target information.As with the ^^to ^^interval, when different types of information are presented concurrently, the longest duration information type prevails for determining the length of this interval. Time ^^corresponds to the offset time for the presentation of this learning item. The length of the period after it may be affected by the user’s response (onset) time and duration, as well as any absolute time limits for responding. As each learning item is presented, the appearance or playing of its contents conforms to specific criteria unique to its information type in order to implement the invention process. For example, there are inherent differences between “persistent” information, such as displayed symbol arrangements, and “transient” information, such as computer-generated speech. When symbol arrangements are displayed, they remain available until removed. In contrast, when speech is generated, each sound is available in one moment, yet ceases to exist in the next. To the user, however, these differences are not so stark: Displayed text is typically spontaneously read in sequence, similarly to how generated speech is heard. In both cases,Bals & Vogelthe user perceptually acquires and accumulates the information over time, despite the noted representational differences. The following describes the manner in which each information type in a learning item may be presented, when not altered by the user’s response or by the presentation algorithm itself, based on performance predictions.Initially presented static visual cue-plus information. This includes displayed symbolarrangements produced from characters marked as static high-contrast 109 and static low-contrast 110, as well as unmarked images 124. The below equation, depicted in Fig.4,describes the presentation timing of such information. Function ^(^) provides a stimulus value ^ for this information as a function of time ^. When ^ =0 the information is not displayed; when ^ = 1 it is displayed normally. The rationale for thisinterval is as follows: to ^^ marks the period that encompasses both the cue and targetpresentation phases, over which the information is presented and remains on display. Displaying the information in this manner serves several purposes. Firstly, all presentedinformation of this type functions as cue information, though some parts may be more criticaland specific than others. Secondly, some or all of it may also be grouped with, and thus part of, presented target information. Thirdly, as the user can selectively attend to parts of static visual information at will, any parts that represent only cue information can readily be ignored later, as target information is attended to. And finally, leaving this information on display, asopposed to abruptly removing it, avoids the distraction that the quick removal of no longerneeded information might cause.Initially presented static audio cue information. This includes constant sounds 129 (whenapplied to a time point in a sound waveform). The below equation, depicted in Fig.5, describes the presentation timing of such information.Bals & Vogel When ^ = 0 the tone is not played; when ^ = 1 it is played normally. The rationale for thisinterval is as follows: This audio cue information is restricted to the ^^ to ^^ interval, which is topreclude any overlap and potential conflict with subsequently presented target audio information. Initially presented dynamic cue information. This includes generated speech 116, dynamicaudio 129, when applied to an interval in a sound waveform, as well as video or movieinformation 124, when applied accordingly. Such information is inherently transient andconveyed over time, which is reflected in the below equation, depicted in Fig.6. In this figure, the thick dotted line represents the proportion of information actively, cumulatively conveyed, whereas the thin dotted line represents simply whether or not information is being transmitted. Here, function ^(^) provides a stimulus “play completion value” ^ for dynamic information as afunction of time ^. When ^ = 0 the information is not played. When information is played, ^represents the proportion of the entire recording (or generated speech) that has been playedby time ^. At the moment that ^ = 1, play is complete. The return of ^ to zero (0) indicates thatthe information is no longer being played. The rationale for this interval is as follows: to ^^ isthe interval over which this cue information is presented. It cannot be sustained, as dynamic information is inherently transient.Initially presented cue image and subsequently presented target location include an imagemarked with a homed-in-on location of interest 127. The first row of the Fig. 13 table summarizes features of this mode of presenting target information and shows images corresponding to five levels of clarity-completeness. To present this information, fourBals & Vogelconcurrent functions are involved, as illustrated by the lines in Fig.7, which are slightly offset to make their paths more readily discernible: The below equation, depicted by the thick dashed line in Fig.7, describes the presentation timing of the cue image, within which a target location of interest subsequently appears. This equation is essentially the same as for initially presented static visual information, above. Function ^^(^) provides a stimulus value ^^ for the image as a function of time ^. Its numericaldesignation distinguishes it from the three other concurrently run functions, below. When ^^=0 the image is not displayed; when ^^ = 1 it is displayed fully, though subsequently in an alteredmanner, as described below. The rationale for this interval is as follows: to ^^ marks theduration over which an image is presented, within which a location of interest is homed-in on.Accordingly, as the image serves both as cue information and the context for the presentationof target, i.e., location, information, this interval spans both cue and target presentationphases. The solid line shows the time course of a parameter affecting the size of the area to which the target location can be localized. Function ^^(^) provides the parameter control value ^^ for this area as a function of time ^.What distinguishes this area is that the part of the image within it is relatively unchanged,whereas the area outside of it is rendered partially diminished, i.e., faded and tinted. Moreover,there is no sharp border between it and the surrounding area. Rather, the relationship between center and surround is defined by a circular Gaussian-like distribution, whose standardBals & Vogeldeviation ^ radius also incrementally decreases over time from ^^^^⋅^^^ at ^^ = 1 to just greaterthan 0. When ^^ = 0, area of interest information is no longer provided, as it is replaced byother location information as shown below.The term ^^^^⋅^^^is equal to half the distance between the location of interest and the farthest corner of the image.When not altered by function ^^ below, the opacity ^ of the image at every point depends solelyon its distance ^ from the location of interest and the time-dependent value ^^: (full opacity).When not altered by function ^^ below, the degree of tint of the image at every point also solelydepends on its distance ^ from the location of interest and the value ^^:(no tint). A nominal minimum opacity ^^^^ = 1 / 2 and a nominal maximum tint ^^^^⋅^^^^ = 1 / 3, whencombined, are generally sufficient to make the surrounds readily distinguishable from the area of interest.The effect of such an area of interest with no clear border, where reduced opacity andincreased tint characterize the areas outside of it, is to provide the user location-of-interestinformation, but not so much as to make it easy for the user to guess the location indirectly. If instead, a circular area of interest and its surrounding area were sharply divided at a distinctradius, the user would readily be able infer that location-of-interest is at its center – almostregardless of the size of the circle.The rationale for the temporal course of the function is as follows: to ^^ is the period thatprecedes the presentation of target information. During this phase, control value ^^, as shownbelow, prevents the current value from providing area of interest information. Accordingly, thevalue of ^^ is arbitrarily set to ^^ = 1, from which it will decrease in the next phase.Bals & Vogel^^to ^^marks the interval during which the area of interest continually decreases from its maximum to minimum value, as described above. Note, however, that at the beginning and end of this interval, this effect is modulated by ^^. From ^^onward, no area of interest information is provided by this function, as it has already been replaced by arrowhead information controlled by ^^. The line with alternating long and short dashes shows the time course of the parameter formodulating the opacity and tint effects of ^^. Its purpose is to provide a smooth transition fromno-applied to applied effects and then back from applied effects to no-applied effects, as theseare replaced by an appearing arrowhead via ^^. Function ^^(^) provides parameter control value ^^ as a function of time ^. When ^^ = 0 theeffects of function ^^(^) are fully negated; when ^^ = 1 its effects are fully applied. Modulatedopacity ^^^^ = 1 + ^^(^ − 1), and modulated tint ^^^^^⋅^^^ = ^^(^^^^^).The rationale for the temporal course of this function is as follows: ^^ to ^^ marks the intervalduring which the opacity and tint effects of ^^ are gradually applied. This is done to ease inthese effects at the starting point. Time ^^ = ^^ + ^, where ^ represents sufficient time to makea smooth transition from the unaltered image to the image tinted and faded outside of theinitially large area of interest.^^ to ^^ marks the interval during which the opacity and tint effects of ^^ are continuously fullyapplied.Bals & Vogel^^ to ^^ marks the interval during which the opacity and tint effects of ^^ are gradually removed.This is done to ease out these effects as they are replaced by the phased-in arrowhead asshown below. Time ^^ = ^^ + ^, where ^ represents sufficient time to make a smooth transitionfrom the diminished-image effect to the arrowhead. Time ^^is based on the arrowhead’s size:It occurs when the area of interest’s radius ^^^^ is equal to the length of the arrowhead.The line with short dashes shows the time course of the parameter effecting the appearance of an arrowhead at the location of interest. Function ^^(^) provides parameter control value ^^ for the arrowhead’s appearance as afunction of time ^. When ^^ = 0 the arrowhead is fully transparent, or invisible; when ^^ = 1 itis fully opaque, or clearly visible. The arrowhead begins fading in at time ^^, when the target area radius ^^^^is equal to the length of the arrowhead, and finishes doing so at time ^^. After this, the image and arrowhead remain unchanged until offset time ^^. The arrowhead’s opacity^ = ^^.These four functions combine to present an image, smoothly diminish the area outside of the area of interest in the image, gradually reduce the size of this area of interest, and then gradually transition from homing in on the location in this manner to showing the exact location with an arrowhead. Initially presented, subsequently disappeared cue–target symbols include displayed symbol arrangements produced from characters marked as disappearing space-retaining 112 and disappearing space-releasing 113. The second row of the Fig.13 table summarizes features of this mode of presenting target information and shows images corresponding to five levels of clarity-completeness. To highlight the sequential application of the effect, these imagesexaggerate the difference in opacity between adjacent symbols. The below equation, depictedBals & Vogelin Fig.8, describes the presentation timing of such information. The figure actually shows three lines, representing characters at three different positions. Function ^^(^, ^) provides a stimulus parameter control value ^^ for the disappearing symbolproduced from the character at position ^ as a function of time ^. The positions of the first ^^and last ^^changing characters (appearing or disappearing), as well as reading rate ^, alsofactor into this equation. There is no single ^ value for disappearing symbols, collectively, astheir onset times differ according to the reading rate adjustment.Such disappearing symbols are initially presented statically yet subsequently graduallydisappear. The only change parameter is opacity ^, with the simple relation ^ = ^^. Thus, when^^ = 0 the disappearing symbol is fully transparent, or invisible; when ^^ = 1 it is fully opaque,or clearly visible. During the interval after ^^ = 1, its opacity decreases incrementally until ^^ =0.The rationale for each interval is as follows: to ^^ is the period during which the disappearingsymbols serve the same cuing role as initially presented static visual information, above. ^^to ^^spans from the beginning of the change based on the first appearing or disappearing character ^^at time ^^to the end of the change of the last at time ^^. The rate of the disappearance of each symbol does not depend on the number or spread of changing symbols. Rather, the overall duration of this interval is determined by the positions of the characters marked as changing, as well as the user’s reading rate. Subsequently presented target symbol information includes displayed symbol arrangements produced from characters marked as appearing space-reserving 114 and appearing space-Bals & Vogelacquiring 115. The third row of the Fig. 13 table summarizes features of this mode of presenting target information and shows images corresponding to five levels of clarity- completeness. To highlight the sequential application of the effect, these images exaggerate the difference in opacity and blur between adjacent symbols. This information is presented subsequently and appears incrementally. The below equation, depicted in Fig.9, describes the presentation timing of such information. The figure actually shows three lines, representing characters at three different positions. Function ^^(^, ^) provides a stimulus parameter control value ^^ for the appearing symbolproduced from the character at position ^ as a function of time ^. The positions of the first ^^and last ^^changing characters (appearing or disappearing), as well as reading rate ^, alsofactor into this equation. There is no single ^ value for appearing symbols, collectively, as theironset times differ according to the reading rate adjustment. Such appearing symbols are subsequently presented and gradually appear. Appearing symbols change in both blur and opacity. Blur allows the symbols to be indistinguishable from one another to varying degrees. Further, beginning all elements at zero opacity eliminatesinitial distinctions that could otherwise be made between symbols, even when blurred, basedon their “darkness,” or pixels occupied. The change parameters are opacity ^, where ^ = ^^,and Gaussian blur standard deviation value ^, where ^ = (1 − ^^)^^^^.When ^^ = 0 the appearing symbol is fully transparent, or invisible and blurred at ^^^^.When ^^ = 1 it is fully opaque and un-blurred. The maximum blur standard deviation ^^^^ isset to the lowest value that would render the symbols indeterminate for the given font size andBals & Vogelreading conditions. A blur ^^^^ of about ⅕ of the nominal font size would be a good firstapproximation.Beginning from ^^ = 0, its opacity increases and its blur decreases incrementally until ^^ = 1,where it is sustained until the offset of the item’s presentation. The rationale for the relevantintervals is as follows: Just as for disappearing symbols, ^^ to ^^ spans from the beginning ofthe change based on the first appearing or disappearing character ^^at time ^^to the end of the change of the last at time ^^. The rate of the appearance of each symbol does not depend on the number or spread of changing symbols. Rather, the overall duration of this interval is determined by the positions of the characters marked as changing, as well as theuser’s reading rate. ^^ to ^^ is the interval over which this target information remains on screento be read in its final, fully clear–complete form. Subsequently presented target image information includes static images marked as faded-in126, when applied accordingly. The fourth row of the Fig.13 table summarizes features of thismode of presenting target information and shows images corresponding to five levels of clarity- completeness. This information is presented subsequently and appears incrementally. The below equation, depicted in Fig.10, describes the presentation timing of such information. Function ^(^) provides a stimulus parameter control value ^ for the appearing image as afunction of time ^.Such an appearing image is subsequently presented and gradually appears. This appearing image changes in both blur and opacity. Blur allows the image to be at varying levels of ambiguity with respect to its content; beginning it at zero opacity eliminates any initial discernments that could otherwise be made based on hue, saturation level, or brightness. Thechange parameters are opacity ^, where ^ = ^, and Gaussian blur standard deviation value ^,where ^ = (1 − ^)^^^^. When ^ = 0 the image is fully transparent, or invisible (and blurred atBals & VogelWhen ^ = 1 it is fully opaque and un-blurred. The maximum blur standarddeviation ^^^^ is set to the lowest value that would render most image details indeterminate,given the image’s size and the viewing conditions. A blur ^^^^ of about ⅕ of the image’ssmallest dimension would be a good first approximation.Beginning from ^ = 0, its opacity increases, and its blur decreases incrementally until ^ = 1,where it is sustained until the offset of the item’s presentation. The rationale for the relevantintervals is as follows: ^^ to ^^ is the interval over which this target information remains onscreen to be viewed in its final, fully clear–complete form. Subsequently presented static target audio information includes time-point samples from audiorecordings marked as phased-in continuous tones 130, when applied accordingly. The fifthrow of the Fig.13 table summarizes features of this mode of presenting target information and shows waveforms corresponding to five levels of clarity-completeness. This information ispresented subsequently and incrementally increases in volume (dB). The below equation,depicted in Fig.11, describes the presentation timing of such information.Function ^(^) provides a stimulus parameter control value ^ for the increasing volume of a toneas a function of time ^. The single change parameter is audio volume ^, where ^ = ^^^^^.When ^ = 0 the tone is not played; when ^ = 1 it is played at its recorded loudness ^^^^. Thismaximum may also be limited by the device’s general volume controls. Beginning from ^ = 0,the tone’s volume increases incrementally until ^ = 1, after which it is discontinued. Therationale for the relevant intervals is as follows: ^^ to ^^ spans the entirety of the presentationof the tone, during which it gradually increases in volume. After this period, tone playbackdiscontinues. Since the tone should be readily perceived as producible, there is no need tosustain it. Subsequently presented dynamic target audio information. This includes short, continuousselections of text marked as phased-in generated speech 118 and short-duration, e.g., 3 sBals & Vogelsamples of audio recordings marked as phased-in 131. The sixth row of the Fig. 13 table summarizes features of this mode of presenting target information and shows waveforms corresponding to five levels of clarity-completeness. This information is presented subsequently, in two or more repetitions. With each repetition except for the last, the audio islow-pass filtered with a high roll-off at successively higher cutoff frequencies. Each repetitionis separated from the others by a brief silence to facilitate its perception as distinct. The volume of each repetition is also normalized, so that low-pass filtering does not reduce its audibility. The below equation, depicted in Fig.12, describes the presentation timing of such information. Function ^(^) provides a stimulus parameter control value ^ for the repeated, stepwisepresentation of dynamic audio information as a function of time ^. The single changeparameter is low-pass-filter cutoff frequency ^. When ^ = 0 the audio is not played; when ^ =1 it is played normally, without filtering. Beginning from ^ > 0, the cutoff frequency at which theaudio is filtered, when played, increases each time it is re-played, in stepwise fashion. At ^ =1, it is played one last time, without filtering. In light of human hearing constraints and speechsound discrimination abilities, a workable formula for the cutoff frequency would be as follows: For most purposes, there is little utility in presenting target information low-pass filtered atcutoff frequencies ≥ 7,040 Hz, versus not filtering it at all (shown as ^ = ∞). Thus,regardless of the number of steps ^ involved, all cutoff values fall within the range 220 Hz <^ < 7,040 Hz.To illustrate resulting cut-off frequencies for various numbers of steps, if^ = 5, ^ = 440 Hz, 880 Hz, 1,760 Hz, 3,520 Hz, ∞;^ = 4, ^ ≈ 523 Hz, 1,245 Hz, 2,960 Hz, ∞;Bals & Vogel^ = 3, ^ ≈ 698 Hz, 2,217 Hz, ∞; and^ = 2, ^ ≈ 1,245 Hz, ∞.For a recording with play time ^ = 1.25 s, consistent with an overall CC rate of 20^ = 5 s, thenumber of steps ^ = 4. Accordingly, the recording would first be played low-pass filtered witha cutoff frequency ^ ≈ 523 Hz, then with a cutoff frequency ^ ≈ 1,245 Hz, then with ^ ≈2,960 Hz, then finally it would be played unfiltered (^ = ∞). The rationale for the relevantinterval is as follows:The interval between ^^ and ^^ depends on recording play time ^ and the number of steps ^,where ^^ = ^^ + ^^. During this interval, increasing amounts of information are continuouslypresented. For a moderately paced interval with a duration approximately equal to 20^ =20(0.25 s) = 5 s, the number of steps ^ is adjusted based on play duration ^, such that ^^ ≈20^ = 5 s.Subsequently presented video or movie target information includes any short-duration, e.g.,3 s, samples of video or movie information designated as phased-in 126, when appliedaccordingly. The seventh row of the Fig.13 table summarizes features of the video component of this mode of presenting target information and shows images corresponding to five levelsof clarity-completeness. When sound is included, i.e., it is a movie, the video component istreated as described here, and the audio component is treated as described in the “subsequently presented dynamic target audio” section, immediately above. This information is presented subsequently, in two or more repetitions. With each repetition except for the last, the video is decreasingly faded and blurred. Each repetition is separated from the others by a brief fade to background to facilitate its perception as distinct. The below equation, depicted in Fig.12, describes the presentation timing of such information. This function and the corresponding figure are identical to those in the preceding section. The difference here is in the parameters controlled by the function.Bals & Vogel Function ^(^) provides a stimulus parameter control value ^ for the repeated, stepwisepresentation of dynamic visual information as a function of time ^. The parameters affectedare opacity and blur. When ^ = 0 the visual is not played; when ^ = 1 it is played normally,without fade or blur. Beginning from ^ > 0, the degree to which the visual is faded and blurredwhen played decreases each time it is re-played, in stepwise fashion. Opacity ^ = ^ for 0 <^ ≤ 1. Blur standard deviation ^ = (1 − ^)^^^^, for 0 < ^ < 1; and at ^ = 1, no blur is applied.The maximum blur standard deviation ^^^^ is set to the lowest value that would render mostimage details indeterminate, given the image’s size and the viewing conditions. A blur ^^^^ofabout ⅕ of the image’s smallest dimension would be a good first approximation.As for subsequently presented dynamic audio information, the interval between ^^and ^^depends on recording play time ^ and the number of steps ^, where ^^ = ^^ + ^^. During thisinterval, increasing amounts of information are continuously presented. For a moderatelypaced interval with a duration approximately equal to 20^ = 20(0.25 s) = 5 s, the number ofsteps ^ is adjusted based on play duration ^, such that ^^ ≈ 20^ = 5 s.In Fig. 28, a system 200 for minimally stimulating in a user the retrieval of target informationfrom memory is shown. The system 200 comprises an output device 201, a processor 203,and a memory 205.

Claims

Bals & VogelC l a i m s1. Method (100) for minimally stimulating in a user the retrieval of target information frommemory, the method (100) comprising the following steps:- outputting of cue information on an output device,- outputting of target information on the output device,wherein cue information is output from a first time (^^) until at least a second time (^^),wherein target information is output from a third time (^^) until at least a fourth time (^^),wherein the third time (^^) is later than the second time (^^),wherein the target information is altered dynamically in a time frame from the third time(^^) to the fourth time (^^), such that an amount of perceivable target informationrepresented by the output device increases in this time frame.

2. Method (100) according to claim 1,characterized in that, the amount of perceivable target information is increased continuously from the third time (^^) to the fourth time (^^).

3. Method (100) according to claim 1 or 2,characterized in that, increase of the amount of perceivable target information is stopped either at a fifth time (^^) when a specific user response is provided by the user, or at the fourth time (^^).

4. Method (100) according to any of the preceding claims,characterized in that, the amount of perceivable target information is increased by decreasing a degradation of the target information.

5. Method (100) according to any of the preceding claims,characterized in that, an alteration rate with which the target information is altered in the time frame, such that an amount of perceivable target information represented by the output device increases from the third time (^^) to the fourth time (^^), is changed dynamically within the time frameBals & Vogelbased on physical characteristics of the target information and / or based on a user response provided by the user.

6. Method (100) according to claim 5,characterized in that, the alteration rate is increased in proportion to a weakness of a signal of the targetinformation at each spatial or temporal frequency, such that the alteration rate is higherover spatial or temporal frequencies that convey less information.

7. Method (100) according to any of the preceding claims,characterized in that, the target information comprises visual representations of an image altered to home in on a location of interest, wherein the image is visually degraded at peripheral areas, andwherein a size of the visually degraded peripheral areas is altered in the time frame, suchthat an information area including the perceivable target represented by the output devicebecomes narrower from the third time (^^)to the fourth time (^^).

8. Method (100) according to any of the preceding claims,characterized in that, the target information comprises audio presentations of information, wherein the audibility of the audio representations is altered in the time frame, such thatan amount of perceivable target information represented by the output device increasesfrom the third time (^^) to the fourth time (^^).

9. Method (100) according to any of the preceding claims,characterized in that, a plurality of ordered stimuli is presented, the plurality of ordered stimuli comprises a first stimulus and at least one second stimulus after the first stimulus, wherein the first stimulus comprises cue information and target information, andwherein each second stimulus comprises target information only.

10. Method (100) according to any of the preceding claims,Bals & Vogelcharacterized in that, user response data are acquired and stored for presented target information,wherein the user response data comprise a level of alteration of the target information ata response time at which a user response is provided.

11. Method (100) according to claim 10,characterized in that, a user’s performance is assigned to a performance level based on the user response data.

12. Method (100) according to any of the preceding claims,characterized in that, anumber of stimuli associated with a number of learning items, each comprising specificcue information and specific target information, wherein the number of stimuli is used for generating a prediction of user performance, and learning notifications and / or recommendations associated with the generated prediction are output.

13. Method (100) according to claim 12,characterized in that, one or more of the following actions are performed based on the predicted user performance: removing a number of learning items from a session, ordering a number oflearning items in a presentation sequence, and adjusting the manner of presentation ofthe number of learning items.

14. Method (100) according to any of the preceding claims,characterized in that, the cue information is presented as part of an information package, and wherein the cue information is identified as cue information dynamically based on a user response.

15. Method (100) according to claim 14,characterized in that, the user response is measured by an eye tracker.Bals & Vogel16. System (200) for minimally stimulating in a user the retrieval of target information frommemory, the system (200) comprising, -an output device (201),- a processor (203),- a memory (205),wherein the memory (205) stores instructions that cause the processor (203) to executea method (100) according to any of claims 1 to 15.

17. Program product,the program product comprising program code means that cause a computing unit to implement a method (100) according to any of claims 1 to 15, when the program codemeans are executed by the computing unit.

18. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a computer,cause the computer to implement a method according to any one of claims 1 to 15.

19. Use of a method (100) according to any of claims 1 to 15 and / or a system according toclaim 16 and / or a program product according to claim 17 and / or a computer-readablemedium according to claim 18 for carrying out a test of a user’s performance in retrievalof target information from memory.

20. Use of a method (100) according to any of claims 1 to 15 and / or a system according toclaim 16 and / or a program product according to claim 17 and / or a computer-readablemedium according to claim 18 as a learning aid.

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