Aid for Scatterbrains

INFOMATOR, a Silicon Valley startup, has unveiled FORGET, a free application that transforms the iPhone and iPod touch into a memory aid for people who are frequently stuck in tip-of-the-tongue moments or whose otherwise brilliant trains of thought are stalled, simply because they are forgetful. FORGET is built around the psychological principles of memory association and recognition, so that even scatterbrains and disorganized people can quickly enjoy its benefits.

FORGET works by integrating itself into the process of how people recall forgotten information, and then streamlines this process using patented technology. When people forget something important, they rely first on hints (memory association) to jog their memory, and then hope that the relevant information just pops into their heads. "I had to do this all the time. It was too painful, took too long, and was too unreliable. So I kept thinking: there must be a better way to remember," said INFOMATO founder and inventor, Dr. Wayne Lo.

"FORGET makes memory association easy, effective and reliable because computer technology draws relationships much faster than our brains and, best of all, it does not forget," said Dr. Lo. To demonstrate how FORGET works, Dr. Lo offers a simple example. In 2008, he was invited by a good friend - Guillaume - to visit his home town in southern France, near Bordeaux. His friend's mother, Ms. Joubert, had prepared for and heartily welcomed his family's visit. As the months went by, Dr. Lo started forgetting Ms. Joubert's name. This was especially embarrassing when one day she happened to answer Guillaume's telephone. Now, using FORGET, Dr. Lo just needs to associate Guillaume with Ms. Joubert. The next time he asks for Guillaume, he will see Ms. Joubert in a list of hints and quickly recognize it (using recognition memory) as that of Guillaume's mother.

"Our ability to recognize forgotten information and connect the dots is an amazing trait unique to the human brain and difficult to duplicate using technology. Working in tandem with this trait, FORGET greatly simplifies the data entry that is required," said Dr. Lo. Here, he could have specifically associated Guillaume's mother (instead of Guillaume) with Ms. Joubert. But thanks to the capacity of human recognition memory, he does not need to be specific. He can recall the details without spelling them out.


By tapping into the strength of recognition memory, FORGET provides an age-proof solution. Studies show that while our ability to deliberately recall details can drop to 50 or 60% by the time we reach age 65, the capacity of our recognition memory remains at the level of an 18-year old. "FORGET is specifically designed to establish a close complementary relationship with our brain, making use of associated lists to jog our recognition memory," said Dr. Lo.

Consider the following examples. Which would you rather remember?
* Dr. Shenasa or heart doctor?
* psyllium seed or constipation remedies?
* clopidogrel bisulfate or chest pain drug?
* T-cell lymphotropic virus type III or AIDS virus?
* 3/17/2005 or Johnny's birthday?
* Monterey Lovers Point Inn or ocean view bargain?
* La Couronne Cafe or affordable French restaurant?
* konnichiwa or Japanese hello?

"By using FORGET to build associations, recalling the information you need is a piece of cake. The goal is to empower people like me, who might have great experience, broad knowledge and creativity, but who are continually held back by diminishing memory capacity," concluded Dr. Lo.

Pricing and Availability:
FORGET 2.0 is free and available exclusively through the App Store in the Productivity category.



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