Is frequency of 40 Hz light from Apple/Android tablet as reliable as that from an LED light?

[OBelin]

I am helping someone with Alzheimer's ; there is research showing that flickering light at 40 hz can possibly ameliorate symptoms. There are commercial 40 hz LED lights which flicker at 40 hz. There is also an app called Alzlife which has 40 hz flickering light. I have read that the light from a tablet is less reliable than an LED light due to analog/digital issues. Is this correct? Or would the light from an iPad or similar high end tablet provide reliable 40 hz gamma?

My sincere thanks of gratitude to anyone who can offer some insight. Rob

 

[littlespark]

It might be the case that what works for one person may not work for another. Try the app, and if it doesn’t help, get the light.

 

[DPG]

It might be the case that what works for one person may not work for another. Try the app, and if it doesn’t help, get the light.

I'm guessing there will be very little measurable improvement as far as proving whether it works or not.

 

[OBelin]

It might be the case that what works for one person may not work for another. Try the app, and if it doesn’t help, get the light.

I appreciate your taking the time to reply. What I am trying to find out is whether it is correct that 40 Hz flickering light from a tablet is unreliable owing to analog/digital issues. Is that a correct statement or not.

 

[DPG]

I suppose it would depend on the refresh rate of the screen. Not sure, sorry. How much are the 40Hz lamps?

Out of interest, would 50Hz have any beneficial effect? If so then filament lamps have been emitting that for many decades. Perhaps the rise in Alzheimer's cases is due in some small way to the demise of filament lamps?

 

[OBelin]

I suppose it would depend on the refresh rate of the screen. Not sure, sorry. How much are the 40Hz lamps?

Out of interest, would 50Hz have any beneficial effect? If so then filament lamps have been emitting that for many decades. Perhaps the rise in Alzheimer's cases is due in some small way to the demise of filament lamps?

Thanks for your reply. All of the research on sensory stimulation for AD uses 40 Hz. Most if it uses light and sound. I heard from someone whose spouse took part in a study with a 40 Hz light-sound device. It helped a lot, but then the study stopped (apparently something that happens in clinical trials unfortunately). So now this person is trying to find a 40 Hz battery controlled LED flickering light. He claims the light from a video source is unreliable owing to analog/digital issues. I discovered an app called Alz life which you can install on a phone or tablet and I'd like to try it as it has additional features which I feel could provide additional benefit to my relative. My understanding is that the Apple iPad Pro is suitable, but I am hoping to clarify whether this is correct, I.e., whether a tablet like iPad Pro can provide reliable 40 Hz flickering light, or whether there indeed are "analog/digital issues." I'm hoping there is someone here who can provide a definitive answer. LED flickering devices can be purchased for anywhere from $100 to $350.

 

[DPG]

I can only think of maybe using a stroboscope to check the actual frequency. But by the time you have done you would probably be as well off spending $100 on one that you know is correct.

 

[static zap]

@OBelin
" commercial 40 hz LED lights"
Thank-you for sharing ..something for me to research ...
( was surprised at some dimmed LED observations )

 

[Lucien Nunes]

Image processing and display in handheld and all modern desktop computing is purely digital right up to the very last stage where each pixel's brightness value is written into the matrix. Analog interfaces and processing went out of general use 10-15 years ago along with CRT monitors. In any case, "analog/digital issues" doesn't really mean anything. What matters here is whether the graphics processor can output a frame rate that is compatible with an effective 80 Hz refresh rate, and whether the display itself is capable of responding fast enough to give a proper contrast between the dark and light periods at that refresh rate.

Presumably whoever wrote the app researched and tested the performance of various devices in order to validate the functionality. Perhaps they have recommendations about which hardware to use?