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[–] 6 points 4 weeks ago (2 children)

You have to relate memories to the senses that do fill your mind. Information storage and retrieval is generally about associations. We link some new thing to an existing thing.

So, you might use s memory record, where you tie the thing you want accessible to music, where each song, or lyrics within, link to your desired item. Scents work really well overall, but can fall short in terms of versatility because you can only hold so many memories per scent, and you have a more limited range of scents to begin with.

Much harder than visual linking, absolutely. But for short term things, or very important long term things, there's non visual options.

You can even make it work with touch. But it's way more limiting. The blind guy I knew that used touch for memory had to do some serious planning ahead of time, because linking a memory to touch means (or did for him and me) actually generating a sensation. When you're at home it private, you can pinch or rub whatever and nobody cares. Pinch a nipple at the grocery store, and you might not be able to finish... the shopping.

But! Touch is less durable than scent or sound. When I was messing around with it after working for the fellow that introduced the idea to me, I found that touch memory itself is very transient. Being able to recall a specific sensation of touch a month after the event is freaking hard, when possible (for me). And people that have tried it have told me that it's as hard or harder for them. Seems that human brains just don't hold onto touch the way they do other senses.

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