Cognitive Canvas

A simple exercise to train your brain’s short-term memory (visuospatial working memory) by recalling visual patterns.

If the game doesn’t show, click here:

An Exercise for Your Visuospatial Memory

Overview Cognitive Canvas is an interactive exercise designed to train visuospatial working memory—the ability to temporarily hold and manipulate visual information. The difficulty automatically adapts to your performance, ensuring you are always optimally challenged.

Expected Effects and Scientific Background This exercise is based on principles from cognitive science. Here is an honest overview of the expected effects and their scientific context.

  • Primary Benefit (Near-Transfer): The most direct effect of this training is improved performance on the task itself and on similar visuospatial memory tasks. This is known as “near-transfer,” and its efficacy is supported by multiple studies.
  • Influence on Related Skills & Limitations (Far-Transfer): While visuospatial working memory is correlated with real-world skills like navigation and design, it is crucial to understand that the “far-transfer” of these training effects to unrelated domains—such as reasoning or academic performance—is not consistently supported by scientific evidence.

Recommended Use

  • How to Use & Objective: Use this tool to observe and challenge your own memory capacity. While many clinical studies use intensive sessions (e.g., 20-45 minutes, 4-5 times a week) to achieve near-transfer effects, we recommend starting with about 5 minutes per session for sustainable practice.
  • Sustainability of Effects: The long-term retention of any cognitive gains from this type of training is still a topic of scientific investigation, with current evidence suggesting that long-term sustainability is uncertain.

Notes on Scientific Evidence

  • Disclaimer: This application is not a medical device and is not intended for the diagnosis, treatment, or prevention of any disease. The potential benefits described are suggested by scientific research and are not guaranteed for every user.
  • About the Evidence: This description is based on findings from systematic reviews and meta-analyses of visuospatial working memory training. Our goal is to honestly reflect the current scientific consensus.

References

  1. Paradela RS, de Oliveira Dias P, Detogni A, et al. Cogmed Cognitive Training for Working Memory: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Neuroscience. 2025;581:95-103. doi:10.1016/j.neuroscience.2025.06.033.
  2. Shipstead Z, Redick TS, Engle RW. Is Working Memory Training Effective?. Psychological Bulletin. 2012;138(4):628-654. doi:10.1037/a0027473.
  3. Goghari VM, Lawlor-Savage L. Comparison of Cognitive Change After Working Memory Training and Logic and Planning Training in Healthy Older Adults. Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience. 2017;9:39. doi:10.3389/fnagi.2017.00039.
  4. Melby-Lervåg M, Hulme C. Is Working Memory Training Effective? A Meta-Analytic Review. Developmental Psychology. 2013;49(2):270-91. doi:10.1037/a0028228.
  5. Luan X, Kawasaki Y, Chen Q, Sugimori E. Mental-Imagery-Based Mnemonic Training: A New Kind of Cognitive Training. Frontiers in Psychology. 2021;12:740829. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.740829.
  6. Norris DG, Hall J, Gathercole SE. Can Short-Term Memory Be Trained?. Memory & Cognition. 2019;47(5):1012-1023. doi:10.3758/s13421-019-00901-z.
  7. Nguyen L, Murphy K, Andrews G. Immediate and Long-Term Efficacy of Executive Functions Cognitive Training in Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Psychological Bulletin. 2019;145(7):698-733. doi:10.1037/bul0000196.
  8. Flegal KE, Ragland JD, Ranganath C. Adaptive Task Difficulty Influences Neural Plasticity and Transfer of Training. NeuroImage. 2019;188:111-121. doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2018.12.003.
  9. Ripp I, Emch M, Wu Q, et al. Adaptive Working Memory Training Does Not Produce Transfer Effects in Cognition and Neuroimaging. Translational Psychiatry. 2022;12(1):512. doi:10.1038/s41398-022-02272-7.
  10. Pappa K, Biswas V, Flegal KE, Evans JJ, Baylan S. Working Memory Updating Training Promotes Plasticity & Behavioural Gains: A Systematic Review & Meta-Analysis. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews. 2020;118:209-235. doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.07.027.
  11. Teixeira-Santos AC, Moreira CS, Magalhães R, et al. Reviewing Working Memory Training Gains in Healthy Older Adults: A Meta-Analytic Review of Transfer for Cognitive Outcomes. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews. 2019;103:163-177. doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.05.009.
  12. Kundu B, Sutterer DW, Emrich SM, Postle BR. Strengthened Effective Connectivity Underlies Transfer of Working Memory Training to Tests of Short-Term Memory and Attention. The Journal of Neuroscience : The Official Journal of the Society for Neuroscience. 2013;33(20):8705-15. doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.5565-12.2013.
  13. Garg T, Velasco PF, Patai EZ, et al. The Relationship Between Object-Based Spatial Ability and Virtual Navigation Performance. PloS One. 2024;19(5):e0298116. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0298116.
  14. He Q, Han AT, Churaman TA, Brown TI. The Role of Working Memory Capacity in Spatial Learning Depends on Spatial Information Integration Difficulty in the Environment. Journal of Experimental Psychology. General. 2021;150(4):666-685. doi:10.1037/xge0000972.
  15. Harvey PD, Chirino M, Mueller A, et al. Improvements in Performance Based Measures of Functional Capacity and Cognition After Computerized Functional Skills Training in Older People With Mild Cognitive Impairment and Healthy Comparators. Psychiatry Research. 2024;334:115792. doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2024.115792.
  16. Dowell-Esquivel C, Czaja SJ, Kallestrup P, et al. Computerized Cognitive and Skills Training in Older People With Mild Cognitive Impairment: Using Ecological Momentary Assessment to Index Treatment-Related Changes in Real-World Performance of Technology-Dependent Functional Tasks. The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry : Official Journal of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry. 2024;32(4):446-459. doi:10.1016/j.jagp.2023.10.014.
  17. Simon SS, Tusch ES, Feng NC, et al. Is Computerized Working Memory Training Effective in Healthy Older Adults? Evidence From a Multi-Site, Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease : JAD. 2018;65(3):931-949. doi:10.3233/JAD-180455.
  18. Gates NJ, Rutjes AW, Di Nisio M, et al. Computerised Cognitive Training for 12 or More Weeks for Maintaining Cognitive Function in Cognitively Healthy People in Late Life. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2020;2:CD012277. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD012277.pub3.
  19. Borella E, Carretti B, Cantarella A, et al. Benefits of Training Visuospatial Working Memory in Young-Old and Old-Old. Developmental Psychology. 2014;50(3):714-27. doi:10.1037/a0034293.