Frequently Asked Questions
What exactly is Cognivault?
Cognivault turns peer-reviewed research papers into professionally narrated audio summaries and cinematic short-form videos. Every episode is an original production created by us, based directly on the original published paper.
Why do I need a Cognivault episode?
Traditional journals reach only a handful of specialists. A Cognivault episode turns your research into something beautiful, understandable, and shareable — reaching policymakers, industry, educators, patients, and the tax-paying public who funded it.
Most universities and funders now expect clear public engagement and impact. A Cognivault episode is a polished, ready-to-share asset that satisfies those requirements without taking time away from your bench or desk.
Most universities and funders now expect clear public engagement and impact. A Cognivault episode is a polished, ready-to-share asset that satisfies those requirements without taking time away from your bench or desk.
Why is outreach and public engagement important?
Researchers are increasingly expected to communicate their work beyond academia, especially for publicly funded studies. Public engagement builds trust, relevance, and accountability — and it's a key part of most grant requirements. Cognivault makes this easy and effective, without diverting you from your core research.
Why audio and video — isn’t text enough?
Over 7,000 new papers are published every day. Most are never read beyond a tiny circle.
Audio and video reach people who don’t have time to read dense PDFs — including dyslexic learners (700 million worldwide), visually impaired audiences (285 million), and busy professionals who listen while commuting or exercising.
We complement — not replace — traditional publishing.
Audio and video reach people who don’t have time to read dense PDFs — including dyslexic learners (700 million worldwide), visually impaired audiences (285 million), and busy professionals who listen while commuting or exercising.
We complement — not replace — traditional publishing.
What’s the difference between audio/video summaries and podcasts?
Podcasts are episodic conversations or interviews. Our audio/video summaries are focused, singular narrations of your research paper — like an Audible book chapter, but for science. Both are great tools, but ours are built for precise, polished research communication.
What licence do Cognivault episodes use?
Every audio and video episode is an original work released under
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0).
Anyone may freely share, embed, download, or play your episode — just give credit to you and Cognivault.
The original paper keeps its own licence. We always link directly to the official source.
Full details on our Licensing page.
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0).
Anyone may freely share, embed, download, or play your episode — just give credit to you and Cognivault.
The original paper keeps its own licence. We always link directly to the official source.
Full details on our Licensing page.
How does the process work?
1. Place your order and upload your paper
2. We draft the script (usually within 7–10 days)
3. You review and approve — unlimited changes
4. Professional narration + (optional) cinematic video
5. Final review and approval — again unlimited changes
6. Published with a dedicated page, full citation, and direct PDF link
Total time: typically 2–4 weeks. Rush options available.
2. We draft the script (usually within 7–10 days)
3. You review and approve — unlimited changes
4. Professional narration + (optional) cinematic video
5. Final review and approval — again unlimited changes
6. Published with a dedicated page, full citation, and direct PDF link
Total time: typically 2–4 weeks. Rush options available.
Will I get to review everything before it goes live?
Absolutely. Nothing is published without your 100 % approval. You see and sign off on the script, the audio draft, and the final version.
Where will my episode be shared?
• Dedicated page on Cognivault.org (forever archived, no paywalls)
• Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Amazon Music, Audible, Google Podcasts, and 20+ other platforms
• Promoted across our social channels and newsletter
You also receive the raw files and full ownership to share anywhere you like.
• Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Amazon Music, Audible, Google Podcasts, and 20+ other platforms
• Promoted across our social channels and newsletter
You also receive the raw files and full ownership to share anywhere you like.
Can I use my episode on my own website, CV, or grant applications?
Yes — unrestricted non-commercial re-use. Post it on your university page, add a QR code to posters, embed it in presentations — it’s yours to show off.
What are your prices?
Audio Summary — $499 USD
Video Summary — $699 USD
Audio + Video bundle — $999 USD
Translation (any language) — $399 USD per language
Fixed, all-inclusive prices. Volume & institutional discounts available.
Video Summary — $699 USD
Audio + Video bundle — $999 USD
Translation (any language) — $399 USD per language
Fixed, all-inclusive prices. Volume & institutional discounts available.
How do I pay?
Individuals — full payment via Stripe.
Institutions / universities / companies — purchase order accepted; invoiced with a generous 45-day payment window. Bank transfer or card.
Institutions / universities / companies — purchase order accepted; invoiced with a generous 45-day payment window. Bank transfer or card.
Is this eligible on my research grant?
Yes — in almost every case. A Cognivault episode counts as public engagement / knowledge exchange / impact activity for UKRI, Wellcome, Horizon Europe/ERC, NIH, NSF, CIHR, ARC, and most funders.
We provide formal invoices, quotes referencing your grant number, and impact statements on request.
We provide formal invoices, quotes referencing your grant number, and impact statements on request.
What type of research topic do you accept?
Our expert team can handle any field or complexity. No topic is too specialized. If it's peer-reviewed and legally shareable, we can bring it to life.
Can I choose the focus of the episode?
Yes — we tailor the episode to your paper's key findings, results, or project. We focus on already peer-reviewed work to ensure quality and accuracy.
Can I use a preprint?
Yes — we can create an episode from your preprint to support your journal submission. If you have a target journal, let us know and we'll align with their guidelines.
My paper is in review — can we start before it's accepted?
Yes. We can wait for acceptance or start early. The latter lets you use the episode as a summary for submission or as a press release once published.
Will there be any copyright issues with the original publisher?
No — we produce entirely new content based on your paper. It's like a press release: it increases visibility of the original without republishing it. We always cite and link back to the official version.
How does Cognivault affect impact?
By making your research accessible, we help boost citations, Altmetric scores, and real-world visibility. Episodes often raise paper Altmetrics by 200–300% in weeks. More eyes mean more funding, collaborations, and policy influence.
What payments do you accept?
All major credit cards via Stripe, bank/wire transfer, or invoice (for institutions).
How do I start?
Head to our order page, choose your package, and upload your paper. It's that simple — we handle the rest.
Will you cover my field or my own paper?
We work across all of STEM, medicine, and social sciences. Email hello@cognivault.org with your paper — we’d love to bring it to life.