Tuesday Tips #39: Don't Forget To Remember

What will they think of next? Japanese scientists have invented a pair of goggles that can remember all those little pesky things we tend to forget, such as where we've put our keys, purse, wallet, cell phone or PDA.

They're called Smart Goggles and they were invented by a professor at the University of Tokyo. Built into the goggles is a tiny video camera that records everything the wearer looks at so it can show its location later.

Smart Goggles are definitely not a fashion statement. They're bulky and somewhat unattractive, but the professor said it should be possible to shrink it down to a more sensible and fashionable size within a few years. He also said he thinks his invention could be useful for elderly patients who have memory trouble.

Aging Backwards Memory Tips:

1) Say it aloud. If you don't own a pair of Smart Goggles yet, try this tip for remembering where you place your keys, phone, etc. When you set down your phone, tell yourself out loud where it is. "My cell phone is in the kitchen." Try it with your keys and any other item you usually misplace.

2) Memorize outdoor boards and signs. I like to train my brain while I'm stuck in traffic. I'll memorize phone numbers and other information I see on outdoor boards, just to exercise my gray matter.

3) Exercise. Investigators from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) have found that exercise improves learning and memory. "Until recently it was thought that the growth of new neurons, or neurogenesis, did not occur in the adult mammalian brain, "said Terrence Sejnowski, an HHMI investigator at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies. "But we now have evidence for it, and it appears that exercise helps this happen."

4) Check out Smart BrainGames. According to the company's Web site, Smart BrainGames is the only neurofeedback technology developed, patented and tested at NASA. It's designed to improve focus, concentration, memory and learning skills in any individual while having fun playing regular video games you can buy at most stores.

5) Use acrostics. An acrostic can be a very simple way to remember a list of words, such as your grocery list. For example, if you need to buy milk, fruit, veggies, eggs and nuts, your sentence could be: "My First Very Excellent Name," using the first letter of each word to create the sentence.

6) Use association. This is especially helpful in remembering names. If, for example, you are introduced to someone named Ryan Fields you could use the association, "Eat rye bread in the field."

7) Sing a song. Most of us don't even bother to learn phone numbers anymore. We simply store the number in our cell phone or PDA, search our contact list and press "send." However, if you find yourself without your mobile device, you may want to have certain numbers in your head. This happened to me in New York last month. I left my phone at the apartment of the friend I was staying with, then ventured out on my own. She was to meet me later, but I realized that in case of emergency, I didn't even know her phone number! I had called her hundreds of times, but never bothered to learn the number. Putting the numbers to the tune of a song can help. Three Blind Mice is a nice choice for phone numbers because it's ten syllables and phone numbers contain ten numbers (area code included). So, you could match the numbers to the tune of: "Three blind mice, three blind mice, see how they run."

And ... remember not to forget what you were trying to remember by using these tips!