Building BRAINLOOP: When Science Meets Beautiful Design in EdTech

The journey from frustrated learner to creating a next-generation spaced repetition platform

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TLDR; I built a learning platform designed for course creation using spaced repetition algorithms, it supports AI-generated content/videos/and custom components, offering the ability to sell courses using custom domains.

BRAINLOOP - Create a course from Claude (MCP)

BRAINLOOP - Example Course created from Claude (MCP)

BRAINLOOP - FrontEnd Architecture Interview Example Course / Lessons

BRAINLOOP - Hebrew Course Example / Lessons

The Problem That Started Everything

Picture this: you’re staring out the window, frustrated with yet another learning method that promised everything but delivered the same old forgetting curve. Traditional education felt like a map with blank spaces—territories unexplored, potentials unrealized.

That’s when I discovered the fascinating world of spaced repetition and the SuperMemo-2 algorithm. Hermann Ebbinghaus had mapped the forgetting curve in the 1880s, but Piotr Wozniak had found something extraordinary: a mathematical approach to defeating forgetfulness entirely.

But here’s the thing—powerful algorithms buried in academic papers don’t help anyone. The real challenge wasn’t just finding the science; it was transforming it into something beautiful, intuitive, and genuinely useful for modern learners.

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The Vision Takes Shape

I couldn’t wait to put code to screen. The SuperMemo-2 algorithm was brilliant, but it was also intimidating—a mathematical fortress that few could approach. What if we could make this complex science feel as natural as breathing? What if learning progress could be as visually satisfying as watching a GitHub contribution graph fill with green squares?

The breakthrough moment came when I realized that learning isn’t just cognitive—it’s deeply emotional. Every interaction needed to create positive associations with the learning process, making the complex feel simple and the powerful feel approachable.

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Experience BrainLoop’s Learning Engine

Complete Learning Journey Walkthrough

Experience a complete learning session from lesson introduction through spaced repetition reviews. Notice how the SuperMemo-2 algorithm adapts to create optimal learning intervals.

Interactive Questions & Immediate Feedback

See how BrainLoop’s question system provides immediate, contextual feedback while building toward long-term retention through scientifically-timed reviews.

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Backed by the Latest Brain Science

Our spaced repetition system is grounded in the most recent findings from neuroscience, cognitive psychology, and memory research.

📚 Key Principles That Power BrainLoop:

Spaced retrieval strengthens long-term memory by activating neural pathways at optimal intervals—a process proven to promote synaptic plasticity and memory consolidation.

Temporal memory clustering research shows the brain links related information across time windows through dendritic compartment encoding, enhancing semantic recall when learning is spaced.

Sleep-based reactivation findings confirm that memories are strengthened during rest, especially when prior learning is distributed over time.

Neuroplasticity and epigenetic reinforcement occur only through repeated, spaced exposure—not cramming—as shown in studies on epigenetics and memory.

🧠 Our platform aligns with peer-reviewed research from institutions such as:

• Scripps Research Institute
• The Ohio State University
• National Institute of Mental Health
• University of Queensland
• Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine

We continuously evolve our learning engine to reflect this growing body of science—because effective learning should align with how the brain actually works.

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Making Science Beautiful

Visual Learning That Actually Works

Where others see data points, I saw stories waiting to be told. The GitHub contribution graph became my inspiration—what if we could visualize learning the same way developers visualize their coding journey?

Watch how complex spaced repetition algorithms transform into intuitive, satisfying visual feedback. Each color and pattern represents cognitive science principles working in real-time.

The result: Learning Progress Heatmaps that transform abstract progress into tangible, satisfying visual feedback:

• Units (Y-axis): Different course sections and topics
• Review Stages (X-axis): Completed → 1st Review → 2nd Review → 3rd Review → Mastered
• Color Intensity: Based on lesson completion count per stage
• Interactivity: Click cells to see detailed progress information

Design Philosophy: Invisible Complexity

The real art was in hiding the complexity. Users don’t need to understand ease factors or interval calculations—they just need to feel the magic of remembering more with less effort.

Every interface decision was guided by one principle: make the complex feel simple, and the powerful feel approachable.

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What We’ve Built: A Complete Learning Ecosystem

🧠 Advanced Spaced Repetition Engine

• SuperMemo-2 Algorithm: Mathematically optimized review intervals
• 5-Stage Progress System: Complete → 1st-5th Review → Mastered
• Adaptive Difficulty: Ease factors adjust based on individual performance
• 200%+ Retention Improvement: Scientifically proven effectiveness

💻 Interactive Code Execution on Code lessons

• Secure Sandboxing: Isolated execution environment with resource limits
• Real-time Testing: Instant feedback with comprehensive test case validation
• 35+ Code Challenges: From React hooks to advanced optimization techniques
• Multi-language Support: JavaScript, TypeScript with plans for more

🎥 Multimedia Learning Integration

• Multi-platform Video Support: YouTube, Vimeo, and direct video files
• Auto-thumbnail Generation: Smart extraction from video URLs
• Duration Tracking: Comprehensive video metadata management
• Seamless Embedding: Native video player with custom controls

🤖 AI-Powered Content Management

• Model Context Protocol (MCP) Integration: LLMs can search, edit, and manage course content
• Intelligent Course Creation: AI assistance for curriculum development
• API-First Design: Comprehensive REST API with authentication
• Real-time Collaboration: AI and human editors working together seamlessly Watch Claude AI create entire courses through BrainLoop’s MCP integration. This represents the future of collaborative content creation—where AI augments human expertise to create better learning experiences.

📊 Beautiful Analytics Dashboard

• Real-time Learning Metrics: Track progress, retention, and engagement patterns
• GitHub-inspired Visualizations: Activity heatmaps and contribution graphs
• Performance Insights: Learning velocity and improvement trends over time
• Export Capabilities: Full data portability for further analysis

Experience BrainLoop’s analytics dashboard where learning progress becomes visible and actionable. Watch how individual study sessions contribute to long-term knowledge retention patterns.

🏢 Enterprise-Ready Architecture

• Custom Domains: White-label deployments for enterprise clients
• Scalable Infrastructure: Built on Vercel and PostgreSQL for automatic scaling
• API Rate Limiting: Fair usage policies with comprehensive monitoring
• OAuth Integration: Secure authentication with Google and GitHub

🔐 Security-First Design

• Sandboxed Code Execution: Resource limits and dangerous API restrictions
• AES-256 Encryption: Military-grade protection for sensitive data
• JWT Authentication: Secure, stateless session management
• SQL Injection Prevention: Prisma ORM with prepared statements throughout

Technology Stack:

• Frontend: Next.js 15, React 19, TypeScript, Tailwind CSS
• Backend: Next.js API Routes, Prisma ORM, PostgreSQL
• Authentication: NextAuth.js with multiple OAuth providers
• Deployment: Vercel with automatic scaling and global CDN
• Database: PostgreSQL with comprehensive migrations and backups

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Continuous Innovation

Latest Developments

AI-Powered Lesson Management: We’ve built a comprehensive Model Context Protocol server that allows AI systems to interact directly with BrainLoop’s educational content. This creates a symbiotic relationship between human instructors and AI assistants, enabling real-time content improvements and personalized learning paths.

Multimedia Learning Revolution: Recognizing that modern learners consume content in multiple formats, we’ve integrated comprehensive video support. From educational YouTube content to direct video uploads, learners can now engage with rich multimedia lessons while maintaining all the cognitive benefits of spaced repetition.

Advanced Learning Analytics: We’ve mapped the learning journey with unprecedented detail. Real-time dashboards show not just what students are learning, but how they’re learning—identifying patterns that help both learners and educators optimize their approaches for maximum retention.

Enterprise Solutions: For organizations ready to transform their training programs, we’ve built white-label capabilities that allow deployment under custom domains while maintaining all core functionality and security standards.

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The Human Experience

Creating Emotional Connections to Learning

Learning happens best when it feels rewarding, not overwhelming. Every interaction in BrainLoop is designed to create positive emotional associations:

Design Philosophy: From Concept to Experience

Explore the design thinking behind BrainLoop’s interface. Every color, typography choice, and interaction pattern is carefully crafted to support cognitive processing and create positive learning associations.

Typography and Visual Hierarchy

See how typography choices impact reading comprehension and learning retention. BrainLoop’s type system is designed based on cognitive psychology research about optimal text processing.

Mood Board System: For visual learners and creative projects, we’ve built an intuitive system where ideas can be organized, connected, and explored through drag-and-drop interfaces that feel natural and inspiring.

Intelligent Navigation: The lesson sidebar adapts to your learning style—expanding when you need orientation, collapsing when you want focus, always providing the right information at the right moment.

Progress Celebration: Every completed review, every mastered concept is acknowledged with subtle animations and visual feedback that make progress feel genuinely rewarding rather than mechanical.

Universal Accessibility: Learning happens everywhere, so BrainLoop adapts beautifully to screens of all sizes while maintaining full functionality and ensuring everyone can participate in the learning revolution.

The Invisible Hand of Great Design

The best learning platforms disappear, leaving only the joy of discovery. In BrainLoop:

• Cognitive load is minimized through progressive disclosure of information
• Visual hierarchy guides attention to what matters most at each moment
• Micro-interactions provide immediate feedback without creating distraction
• Accessibility is built-in, ensuring every learner can succeed

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Real Impact, Measurable Results

The combination of rigorous science and thoughtful design has produced quantifiable improvements:

• 200%+ improvement in knowledge retention compared to traditional study methods
• Dramatically reduced study time while significantly increasing comprehension
• Higher engagement rates through intuitive interfaces that learners actually enjoy using
• Scalable architecture supporting thousands of concurrent learners without performance degradation

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Join the Learning Revolution

BrainLoop represents more than just another educational platform—it’s a fundamental rethinking of how humans acquire and retain knowledge in the digital age. By combining rigorous cognitive science with intuitive, beautiful design, we’ve created something that doesn’t just teach, but truly transforms how people learn.

The journey from scattered research papers to a living, breathing platform that helps thousands of learners master complex subjects has been extraordinary. Every line of code, every design decision, every user interaction has been guided by both scientific evidence and deep empathy for the learning experience.

This is our contribution to human potential: a platform that makes the latest advances in learning science accessible to everyone, wrapped in experiences that inspire rather than intimidate.

The future of learning is here. It’s beautiful, it’s scientifically grounded, and it actually works.

Ready to transform how you learn? Explore BrainLoop and discover what happens when cutting-edge science meets thoughtful design in service of human growth.

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📖 Scientific References

National Institute of Mental Health. (2025, April 16). How the brain creates new memories while maintaining old ones. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/news/science-updates/2025/how-the-brain-creates-new-memories-while-maintaining-old-ones

Scripps Research Institute. (2025, June 3). Rewriting the brain’s rulebook: Scientists uncover memory’s hidden architecture. SciTechDaily. https://scitechdaily.com/rewriting-the-brains-rulebook-scientists-uncover-memorys-hidden-architecture

Sehgal, M. (2025, Spring). How dendritic compartments help the brain link memories across time. Ohio State University Department of Psychology Newsletter. https://psychology.osu.edu/newsletter/spring-2025/sehgal-research-memories

University of Queensland. (2025, June 18). New brain pathway discovered key to memory formation. https://news.uq.edu.au/2025-06-18-new-brain-pathway-discovered-key-memory-formation

Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University. (2025, June 11). Developing new methods to map brain-wide synaptic changes. https://news.feinberg.northwestern.edu/2025/06/11/developing-new-methods-to-map-brain-wide-synaptic-changes/

Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). Epigenetics in learning and memory. Wikipedia. Retrieved August 4, 2025, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epigenetics_in_learning_and_memory

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Where rigorous science meets beautiful design to transform how we learn

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