20100425
20100418
Brain Multitasking
Lately, while I was solving a rather difficult problem on IPv6, I read this report about multitasking (on humans, not the iPhone).
(Picture found at http://www.textually.org)
Each of these two tasks gets handled by one of the hemispheres of the brain.
Executive Summary-Conclusion
I know that the executive summary is usually at the top of the publication, but this format has recently become very popular in Greece.
In this paper, I have presented my thoughts on the multitasking capabilities of the brain.
License: GPLv3
That's all :)
[1] Margaret Weigel, Katie Heikkinen, "Developing Minds with Digital Media: Habits of Mind in the YouTube Era", Developing Minds with Digital Media Project, Harvard, November 2007
(Picture found at http://www.textually.org)
Facts
The article more or less described that human brain is capable of handling two tasks simultaneously, but no more than that (by the way, I think that these tasks resemble processes and not threads, as they don't seem to share a common address space [e.g. texting while driving or watching TV while cooking], but I digress). In order to support more than two tasks humans employ task switching, much like the way single processor (pre-Opteron) computers (and, recently, the iPhone) handle multitasking, but they pretty much suck at it when the tasks become increasingly complex [1] (much like my mobile phone, which I otherwise adore).Each of these two tasks gets handled by one of the hemispheres of the brain.
Speculations
My thoughts on the brain multitasking are the following:- I assume that our brain is something like a dual core processor. Based on my personal observations though [reference is missing here], I think that one of the hemispheres is dominant and handles the complex tasks, while the other is secondary and handles more simple tasks and/or provides aid for the more complex tasks.
- I also think that the secondary hemisphere is the sub-conscience
- When you are consumed in a heavy-mental (lol) task and someone asks you something: Your secondary hemisphere will probably successfully answer, but your answer was not actually your answer; it's the answer of your sub-conscious brain.
- Having conversations while sleeping. This is your secondary hemisphere speaking, who (or which? how much do you value your alter-ego?) is not sleeping at that time.
- The popular "sleep on this". The primary hemisphere sleeps while the secondary can process the pressing issues, free of worries and distractions.
- One form of multiple personality could be the rebellion of the secondary hemisphere. The sub-conscience does not want to be hidden any more and, thus, once in a while, it gets unleashed from the tethers of the conscious brain (\m/).
- Ambidexterity is when both the hemispheres are equal and work in harmony towards the completion of every task at "hand".
Executive Summary-Conclusion
I know that the executive summary is usually at the top of the publication, but this format has recently become very popular in Greece.In this paper, I have presented my thoughts on the multitasking capabilities of the brain.
License: GPLv3
That's all :)
References
(links to websites have been deliberately omitted, since they are mentioned using HTML)[1] Margaret Weigel, Katie Heikkinen, "Developing Minds with Digital Media: Habits of Mind in the YouTube Era", Developing Minds with Digital Media Project, Harvard, November 2007
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