DecodeNetwork

Our Research

At the intersection of AI and how sound and art shape attention, emotion, and human connection.

AI Research

Two "Chinese" Research Labs That Got Me Hooked Lately

StepFun and Moonshot AI have the two most coherent research arcs in Chinese AI right now. Interactive timelines of every paper, and what connects the dots.

Carol ZhuMarch 20268 min
Voice AI & Cognition

The Missing Layer in Voice AI

Why the problem between hearing and reasoning remains unsolved — and what the paralinguistic gap means for every company building voice products.

Carol ZhuFebruary 202612 min
ADHD & Cognition

The ADHD Brain Already Knows What the Research Is Still Catching Up To

Why generic focus music fails ADHD users specifically — and what the dopamine research says about state-matched sound.

DecodeNetwork ResearchMarch 20268 min
Psychology

You Don't Feel Lonely. You Just Can't Focus.

The research on what perceived isolation actually does to your brain — and why it's harder to spot than you think.

Carol ZhuMarch 20267 min
Music & Cognition

Does music actually help you focus — or is that just a story you tell yourself?

What 19 controlled studies actually found about background music and attention. The answer is more specific than any playlist title suggests.

DecodeNetwork ResearchMarch 20267 min
Psychology of Art

Dominance, Submission, and the Compositions We Crave

The AI art that captures your eyes longest reveals something about your relationship with power, vulnerability, and surrender.

Carol ZhuJanuary 202610 min

The music that helps you focus depends on where your nervous system actually is.

Discover Your State →