The Platypus Institute uses a rigorous but practical scientific approach to advance the science of human performance.
To date, much of the scientific research into human peak performance has been either qualitative in nature (e.g., observing strategies that top athletes use to train) or outcome-based (e.g., measuring how fast someone can run).
In comparison to medicine, where numerous quantitative measures of disease have been identified (e.g., blood sugar levels in diabetes), few, if any, valid neurophysiological measures of optimal performance – particularly in the cognitive domain – exist.
Recent advances in sensor and signal processing technology coupled with big data analytic tools now allow us to become far more refined in our ability to identify neurophysiological correlates of optimal cognitive performance than ever before.
Meanwhile, the medical research industry is now, for the first time in its history, beginning to seriously investigate not only the nature of disease but optimal health as well.
As such, our first research goal at the Platypus Institute is to identify and validate neurophysiological measures of peak performance that are:
Over the last decade, the commercial market has been flooded with personal improvement tools claiming to be grounded in science and new techniques and tools emerge every day. Some of these tools are highly effective… but most are not.
Thus, our second research goal is to serve as an independent curator in the personal growth industry, using both primary and secondary research to identify the most impactful techniques and technologies available to rewire one’s brain and body — and thereby generate sustainable performance improvements.
In our evaluation process, we ask three fundamental questions:
Our third goal is to build a comprehensive, scientifically validated toolkit of human performance interventions, systems, and metrics that make peak performance accessible to both individuals and teams dedicated to realizing their full potential.
Our focus here is to help the world’s most elite performers test boundaries. As such, our programs are rigorous and carefully tailored to the goals of individuals and teams and involve multiple interventional modalities.
In addition to helping specific individuals dramatically enhance their performance, the knowledge base we are developing is useful in a broad variety of areas. It is certain to be valuable to anyone actively seeking to enhance their life experience. The neuroscience tool kit is continually evolving. Among the techniques and tools we currently use:
