The Science: Dots Game

The Dots game is based on an experimental game called "Non symbolic number comparison". It measures the function of brain areas that allow us to estimate and compare quantities without using numbers or numerical symbols.

For example, if someone were to quickly glance at two groups of apples, “this system (often called the "Approximate Number System" would”) help them estimate which group has more, without actually counting.

Nonsymbolic number comparison forms part of our innate 'number sense'. Research suggests this number sense forms the foundation for more advanced mathematical skills. Understanding more or less, bigger or smaller, can be the basis for addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.

Dots & The Brain

The right intraparietal sulcus (IPS) is a prominent anatomical groove located in the parietal lobe of the right hemisphere of the brain.

The IPS is involved in numerical cognition, aiding in the perception and processing of numerical quantity, and plays a critical role in various cognitive functions related to spatial awareness and attention.

It contributes to visuospatial attention by enabling the brain to focus on specific objects or locations in space, even in the absence of eye movements. The right IPS also plays a role in the manipulation of mental images, contributing to tasks that require mental rotation or other forms of spatial transformation.

Studies have also linked this region to tool use and the understanding of mechanical interactions, suggesting a broader role in the interpretation of spatial relationships.