Mind Tools ILightz Owner's Manual

Owners Guide

Mind Tools, Inc.
Mind Gear
9518 Catalpa Circle
Mentor OH 44060
[phone]

Written by Michael Landgraf

Medical Disclaimer

"Light / Sound Systems" or "Mind Machines" have been on the market for years. Thousands of users have
experienced many hours on them with virtually no reported ill effects. But there are some situations and condi­tions where use of our products is strongly discouraged. These devices create flickering light, which can cause
seizures in persons with photosensitive epilepsy. You may be photosensitive and not know it.

Even if you have never had a seizure, there is a small chance that you a re photosensitive, and

exposure to flashing lights can cause YOU

please do not use Min d Gear L/S systems.

risk,

Mind Gear products are designed for recreational purposes and personal exploration ONLY
claims are made for Mind Gear products, express or implied. They are NOT medical devices and should not be
used for the relief of any
for any other purpose as the machine is not intended as a replacement for medical or psychological treatment.
Our products are not intended to affect the structure or any function of the human body. These products are not
approved for any purpose by the FDA.

If you or anyone else who will use this machine are subject to any form of seizures, epilepsy or visual photo­sensitivity, are using a pacemaker, suffering cardiac arrhythmia or other heart disorders, currently taking stimu­lants, tranquilizers or psychotropic medication, specifically including illicit drugs and alcohol, please do not use
our or any other Light / Sound system.

Your experience should feel pleasant and we recommend that you set the volume and light intensity levels
with your EYES CLOSED

medical condition. Please consult with your licensed medical practitioner prior to use

before you or anyone you loan your system to, uses it.

Photosensitive Epilepsy

Photosensitive Epilepsy is a relatively rare condition, affecting approximately 1 person in 4000. Persons with
this condition are susceptible to seizures evoked by flickering lights, such as those produced by a light / sound
machine. The information included here on photosensitive epilepsy is mostly from the book "Photosensitive Epi­lepsy".

Most persons with photosensitive epilepsy have a first seizure during their teenage years (75% by age 20).
About half of initial seizures are induced by watching television. Some persons who are susceptible during their
teenage years outgrow the condition, about 25% by age 25. As a result, adults over age 25 who have never had a
seizure have about 1 chance in 20,000 of being photosensitive and not know it. So for a person who has not had
a seizure, the likelihood of being photosensitive varies from 1 in 4000 for children to 1 in 20,000 for adults over

25.

Remember, even if you have never had a seizure, there is a small chance that you are photosensitive and a

light / sound session could cause a seizure in YOU!

to have a seizure. If you are not willing to accept this

. No medical

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Table of Contents

Medical Disclaimer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Introduction to iLightz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

The iLightz Package . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Background Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Installing Batteries & Quick Starting Your iLightz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Helpful Hints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Keypad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

iLightz Session List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Programming Worksheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

AutoPilot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

iLightz Color Selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Adding Music & Spoken Word to Your iLightz Sessions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

FAQ & Troubleshooting Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Warranty & Returns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

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Introducing the most sophisticated, yet easy to use mind machine available . . .

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The iLightz Package

Lightframe port for connect­ing Co mmon Power (CP)
lightframes by Mind Gear.

USB port for connecting the
iLightz unique Color Matrix
lightframes.

Headphone port.

On back of iLightz:

A/C adapter port

External input port for connecting
the stereo patch cord to the head­phone port of a CD player, stereo
audio sound source, computer, etc.

On right side of iLightz;

USB port for connecting to a com­puter.

Please refer to chart below for system comparisons:

NOTE: Headphones are also an option. Mind Gear offers excellent deluxe headphones for your listening pleasure.

Should you already have a favorite pair of headphones, enjoy the sound of your iLightz and iLightz Pro through
those. And should you own an iPod, you can use your iPod’s headphones -they work great with both the iLightz
and iLightz Pro!

Number of Built-in Programs
Frequency Range
Manual Operation

User Programmable
Autopilot Programs
Turbosonix Compatible

USB Port
External Audio Input
Stereo Patch Cord
Soft On/Off
Custom Color Function
User Upgradeable Firmware

Color Matrix™ RGB Glasses
Regular LED Glasses
Regular RGB Glasses
Open-Eye Style Glasses

Custom Color Shifting
Color Tracking Function

A/C Adapter Included

NOTE: Optional / Upgradeable Optional means the unit is already

Turbosonix Compatible

osonix

iLightz™ iLightz™ Pro

50

0.5-40Hz
Yes

No, But Upgradeable
No
Yes

Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No, But Upgradeable
Yes, With Optional USB Cable

No, But Upgradeable
Yes, Standard
No, But Optional
No, But Optional

No, But Upgradeable
No, But Upgradeable

No, But Optional

capable of supporting the accessory
without a firmware upgrade.

75

0.5-40Hz
Yes

Yes
5
Yes

Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes

Yes
No, But Optional
No, But Optional
No, But Optional

Yes
Yes

Yes

Upgradeable means the unit
requires a firmware update to
support the function or acces­sory.

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Background Information about Light & Sound Stimulation

(Excerpts from “Mind States: An Introduction to Light & Sound Technology”)

What Is An iLightz Light & Sound Instrument?

An iLightz light and sound instrument is a mind entrainment tool. The method by which this en­trainment occurs is known as the Frequency Following Response (FFR). Through the use of au­dio (headphones) and visual (eye frames with LEDs or RGB-based LEDchips) stimulation, par­ticipants are gently guided into specific states of mind. Each audio beat and light pulse is a spe­cific frequency. Our minds "think" in terms of frequency. Brainwaves change frequencies based
on neural activity within the brain, be it by hearing, touch, smell, vision and/or taste. These
senses respond to activity from the environment and transmits that information to the brain via
electrical signals. Hearing and vision are considered favorable senses for affecting brainwaves
safely. By presenting these beats and pulses to the brain, within a few minutes, the brain begins
to mimic or follow the same frequencies as the stimuli (the beats and pulses). This process is
referred to as entrainment. In essence, the iLightz light and sound instrument speaks to the mind
in it's own language- the language of frequency.

The Frequency Following Response that the mind experiences through light and sound stimula­tion provides a focus for the brain. This focus safely quells any internal dialogue or "brain chat­ter", and enables the participant to reach more quickly and effectively the optimum state of
mind targeted for the task at hand (i.e., energizing, learning, relaxing, etc.).

So a light and sound instrument can entrain your mind to experience different levels of your
consciousness. As such it is a tool, but it is a very enjoyable tool. For a whole new musical ex­perience combine your favorite songs with an iLightz light and sound session. You can actually
see, as well as hear, the music as it travels along your brainwaves. It is also for exercising your
mind. After all, your brain is like a large muscle. Use light and sound to train your brain to run
faster and more efficiently; to show you how to find and access your "zone" and to help clean
up that mental fuzz that occasionally interrupts our mental clarity.

Here is a brief summary of the evolution of light and sound: Humanity has been aware of how
outside stimulation can affect the mind long before recorded history. We can share that same
awareness by sitting around a campfire. Watching the flickering flames creates a soothing,
calming sensation within the mind. This same affect is also experienced with rhythmic drum­beats. The continuous, repetitive beats tend to generate a calming affect, while faster repetitions
create a more energetic sensation. Within the twentieth century, researchers have developed this
awareness into highly beneficial instrumentation.

Although scientists knew flickering light and audio beats affected our frame of mind, they were
unable to prove how that interaction existed. Then in 1924, Hans Burger, a German psychiatrist,
published pictures depicting electrical activity of the human brain. From the discovery of these
"wavy" lines emerged a new scientific field called electroencephalography.

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These wavy lines are simple to visualize. Just picture a series of peaks and valleys, much like
the skyline of a mountain range. When you are asleep, in Delta, those peaks and valleys are at
both their highest and lowest points and appear to be spread out. As you gradually awaken and
become more alert, progressing from Theta into Alpha, the peaks and valleys begin to shrink in
size and are spaced closer together. Then when you are in your normal waking state, Beta, this
"mountain range" is at it's smallest level, with very little space separating the peaks from the
valleys.

During the 1940's several researchers, including W. Gray Walter, utilized powerful electronic
strobes with new versions of EEG instrumentation to alter brainwave activity, producing states
of profound relaxation and imagery. In 1949, brainwave signals were brought to the screen with
the invention of the Tuposcope. This breakthrough allowed the tracking of brainwave patterns
(Beta, Alpha, Theta and Delta). Within five years, hundreds of hospitals were compiling EEG's.

In the 1950's and 1960's, research on Zen and Yoga meditators showed a predominance of alpha
and theta waves during meditation. These findings were made through the data collected by re­searchers including M.A. Wanger of the University of California at Los Angeles; B.K. Bagchi
of the University of Michigan School of Medicine; and B.K. Anand of the All India Institute of
Medical Sciences in New Delhi (Ditson-Sommer 1995).

During the late 1960's and into the 1970's interest in producing altered states without chemicals
increased. Alpha EEG feedback by Dr. Joe Kamiya at Langley-Porter Neuropsychiatric Institute
in San Francisco aided in initiating the age of biofeedback. Others, including Jack Schwarz and
Richard Townsend, continued their investigations of rhythmic light and sound combinations,
with emphasis on hemispheric brain synchronization and EEG entrainment (Budzynski 1991).
It was during the decade of the 1970's that the first patent was obtained for a light and sound in­strument. This occurred in 1974, with the patent obtained by Seymour Charas. He was a scien­tist at New York City College and for reasons unknown, never put his device into production
(Hutchison 1990).

In the 1980's there were major breakthroughs in microelectronics. From this came the develop­ment of instruments that contained various programs of sound frequency changes and light in­tensity modulation. In a study by Marchal Gilula, M.D., of Life Energies Research Institute of
Coconut Grove, Florida, clinical research on Multiple Afferent Sensory Stimulation (MASS)
was conducted. His research found that light and sound (MASS) equipment elicited an 80%
subject response with deep states of mind and body relaxation (Ditson-Sommer 1995).

For the past several years, clinical devices utilizing light and sound stimulation have been suc­cessfully used in relaxation and learning enhancement. For the general public, small portable
units became available. Still, this technology is so new that the majority of us do not know how
to use it. Those that do know are using it for commercial purposes, ranging from audio/video
cassettes, CDs and DVDs to workshops and seminars.

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How Are Frequencies Associated With Brainwaves?

Brainwaves are the electrical wave patterns generated in every person's brain. These waves vary
according to level of consciousness, sub-consciousness and unconsciousness and are character­ized by four distinct types of brainwaves. Each of these electrical wave patterns have distinctly
different ways of perceiving, processing, learning and knowing information (Hoiberg 1989). All
of these brain waves are produced at all times. However, a predominance of a specific desired
brainwave state can be created at will, which allows a person to potentialize his or her capabili­ties towards achieving human excellence.

Brainwave frequencies are described in terms of hertz (Hz), or cycles per second, which are
measured by an electroencephalogram (EEG). The four general categories of brainwave fre­quencies and their main characteristics are:

Gamma brainwave frequencies are a high frequency pattern beginning around thirty-five hertz.
There has been some evidence that gamma frequencies are associated with states of peak per­formance. Most light and sound instruments have the capability to generate gamma frequencies.
While in this brainwave state, sensations are centered on being mentally, emotionally and
physically "charged" or extremely energized. These frequencies are the highest known brain­wave patterns, but are considered by some researchers to be part of the beta frequency category.

Beta brainwaves are the next highest frequency pattern, ranging from thirteen to approximately
thirty-four hertz, and can be separated into three sub-categories. The first is high beta, ranging
from nineteen to thirty-four hertz. When high beta is the dominant brainwave state, anxiety and
stress are most likely to occur. The second sub-category is mid beta, with frequencies ranging
from fifteen to eighteen hertz. Mid beta is characterized by action, with focus on external sur­roundings. The third is SMR beta (Sensorimotor Rhythm), ranging from thirteen to fifteen
hertz. While in this state, focus is also on external surroundings, but the individual is more re­laxed than in mid beta. Within SMR is fourteen hertz, which is gaining attention from research­ers and clinicians utilizing EEG/neurofeedback instrumentation. However, the true benefit of
creating fourteen hertz in humans has yet to be determined.

Generally speaking, beta brainwaves are characterized by logical, analytical and intellectual
thinking, verbal communication and awareness of surroundings.

Alpha brainwaves are a frequency pattern ranging from eight to twelve hertz. They most com­monly occur when we are calm and relaxed, yet mentally alert. These brainwaves are also pre­sent during daydreaming.

Theta brainwaves range from four to seven hertz, characterized by being deeply relaxed and in­wardly focused. This brainwave state is also associated with rapid learning and the assimilation
of new information with high retention, heightened motivation to activate goals, bursts of crea­tivity, insight and new behavior patterns.

Delta brainwaves range from five-tenths to three hertz and are associated with being extremely
relaxed, characterized by sleep.

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Researchers have proven that brainwave frequencies determine what brainwave state is being
experienced at any given time (Budzynski 1991). By measuring the production of brainwaves
through the utilization of EEG (electroencephalogram) equipment, the frequencies that produce
these various brain states can be tracked on a computer monitor. As mentioned earlier, these
frequencies are generated in every person's brain, and are the result of outside stimulation that
has been passed to the brain via electrical signals from our different senses. Light and sound in­struments stimulate the neural activity of our vision and hearing, and can safely guide our
minds to produce specific frequencies that are associated with the four general brainwave cate­gories (Hutchison 1992).

“Mind States” (ISBN 0-9662596-0-2): written by Michael Landgraf ( www.MichaelLandgraf.com )

Quick Start Guide for iLightz

The first step in setting up your iLightz is …

Installing batteries or using the A/C Adapter:

Before you begin your iLightz experience, installing batteries
is necessary. On the upper part of the back of your unit, you
will see the battery compartment. Unlatch the lid and insert
four “AA” batteries as shown. You will enjoy several hours of
iLightz sessions with just one four-pack of “AA” batteries.

If you have the iLightz Pro which includes the A/C adapter,
simply connect the adapter to the iLightz adapter port located
on the top left side of your unit.

And should you choose to purchase an A/C adapter later, it is
recommended that you purchase the correct type from an
authorized Mind Gear retailer. The A/C adapter specifications
are: 6V DC 800mA with the connector having a positive tip.

Your second step is connecting the lightframes and headphones …

Connect Common Power (“CP”) lightframes to the
port marked “LIGHT”.

Connect the Color Matrix lightframes of the
iLightz Pro to the port marked “COLOR MA­TRIX”.

Connect your headphones to the port marked
“SOUND”.

When not using an iPOD in conjunction with your
iLightz, select an external sound source such as a
CD player or audio receiver. Connect one end of
the stereo patch cord to the headphone port of the
external sound source and the other end to the
port marked “EXT. INPUT”.

When using the recommended AC Adapter, con­nect to port marked “6VDC/800MA”.

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