Shared Lucid Dream Induction Briefcase

I am thinking about building something similar to the PASIV Device from Inception, using technology similar to Psyche Sonics. The briefcase might include the following contents:

  • entrainment signal generator (e.g. Procyon AVS)
  • auxiliary audio input(s) (e.g. MP3 player)
  • four synchronized audio outputs with collapsible headphones
  • four synchronized light outputs with LED glasses/goggles
  • electronic oil diffuser (for olfaction synch)
  • dropper bottles filled with dream-inducing essential oils (to heat on diffuser)

Taking it a bit further, REM-detection circuits similar to those used in the NovaDreamer, or using EEG (EPOC?), could trigger synchronized light or sound signals when all connected dreamers are most likely to be dreaming, or possibly even detect a state in one dreamer and map it to a signal to another dreamer. We know from research conducted by Stephen LaBerge that a state chosen while awake can be intentionally enacted while dreaming lucidly, and also that some cues can be reliably detected while dreaming (see Exploring the World of Lucid Dreaming).

Here is an image of some things I had around my shop, to estimate relative sizes of some of the components:

Almost-PASIV Device

Some close-up video of the PASIV, from Comic-Con 2010:

4 Replies to “Shared Lucid Dream Induction Briefcase”

  1. God, what a cool idea! My theories are that once lucid dreaming and shared lucid dreaming become more popular, we can journey into deep space without rocket ships. The best space travel is probably that modality, and we can realize that’s how to get in touch with alien races (higher beings).

    Our dream research group has embarked upon a shared dream project, and I was looking around for ideas on that when I surfed here.

  2. Would love to see you build this; this is from my book:

    Multi-Player Dream Games
     
    In 1974, I constructed a crude lucid dream (LD) induction device out of Radio Shack parts. It was fun to signal the dreaming world from the waking; however my true “dream” was a technology that would allow two or more dreamers to communicate to each other from within their dreams. This is not quite the same as shared dreaming or mutual dreaming (a subject requiring some form of extra-sensory perception and popular in books and movies like Dreamscape or Inception) which allow multiple dreamers to experience a common dream environment; rather I was interested in simple, “scientific” inter-dream communication using modern technological tools (and now the internet).
     
    Today there are such tools available that provide the basis for dream-to-dream communication: dream mask devices such as the REM Dreamer and NovaDreamer from top scientists and engineers which both signal the dreamer from the waking world and also allow the lucid dreamer to signal back to the device from the dream world. Thus, it is possible, with the right software and a website controller program (such as multi-player game and chat sites use), to coordinate two or more lucid dream masks with computer connections and allow very simple communication between dreamers; even multi-player dream games that bring a social element into a previously private experience—a Facebook for the mind; a DreamBook, if you will.
     
    These devices and games work on two very simple and proven scientific principles: external sensory signals such as lights, sounds or tactile stimuli from a mask device can be incorporated into an ongoing dream story and carry meanings or cues from the outside to the dreamer (for example, a red flashing light may become a traffic signal in a dream carrying the message “Hello, you are dreaming.”); and conversely, eye movements (or hand movements) by the dreamer such as looking up into the “dream sky” can be interpreted by a mask device as carrying a message from the dream world like “Yes, hello world.”
     
    Considering these scientific principles then, the ingredients for multi-player lucid dream connectivity are:
     
    1.    A lucid dream cuing device such as a dream mask or audio device with dreamer response detection and interpretation.
    2.    Computer software (LD program) that has two-way, real-time communication with the cuing device.
    3.    Computer software (LD program extension) that has two-way, real-time communication with a remote host site.
    4.    A multi-player host website program that receives input from the LD programs and issues messages to them.
     
    Here are a few scenarios that could be fun for dreamers in a multi-player environment:
     
    1.    Two players register and log onto the LD multi-player website, selecting the other player to communicate with that night and which player is to be the guide player (first dreamer cued).  The respective local LD programs monitor the eye movements during the sleep of the players and upon REM detection send a message to the website that the respective dreamer is in REM; the website host program waits for both players to reach REM, then the host sends a command to the local LD software to signal the guide dreamer via audio/visual cue that she is dreaming.  When (if) she becomes lucid, this lucid dreamer now signals (via eye movement) the mask/program to stop cueing and, in addition, send a message to the host program to notify the other dreamer that he is dreaming by audio/visual cue (could even be a pre-recorded audio cue in the guide’s own voice).  The signal to the recipient’s to become lucid is now coming directly from the guide dreamer and may carry more meaning than a neutral cue (and lots more fun).  For those folks with an interest in mutual dreaming, this may prove also to be a useful initiator for such a dream, coordinating the timing for lucid dream sharing.        
     
    2.    A lucid dream race:  players log on and join the race, then go to sleep.  The host site waits until all the respective LD local programs indicate REM state for all the players (hopefully at some point all REM’s coincide).  The host site sends commands to all the local programs to cue all the dreamers more or less at the same time.  The dreamers, upon becoming lucid, signal to stop the cue and, in addition, send a message to the host site that they are lucid.   The winner of the race is recorded on the host site and the players can view the results–just for fun, of course, but competition can have a strong motivational effect, as many psychologists know.
     
    3.    This multi-player scenario would require a mask with various colored lights or audio cues and dreamer feedback variability.  The dreamers, upon both becoming lucid, signal different eye movements to the other dreamer (via the local LD programs’ connection to the host website) which result in varied cues, the meaning of which is agreed upon beforehand when the players register for this ‘game.’  A “hello” signal from one dreamer can result in a ‘blue’ cue to the other; an “I am flying” signal from the other dreamer could result in a ‘yellow’ cue to the first, and so on.  Audio messages could be used as well.
     
    4.    Masks or other cuing devices with multiple cuing options such as varied colors could also be used to enable more than two dreamers to send messages to the entire group in the same session.  Dreamers sign up for the night’s session and assign themselves a color cue or audio cue.  As the dreamers become lucid, the host software sends that dreamer’s cue sign to the rest of the group.  A dreamer, for example, recognizes the ‘red’ cue as “Mike has just joined us” and the ‘blue’ cue as “Sally’s lucid now too.” 
     
    While the lucid dreamer communication described here is very rudimentary, the exciting thing is that such dream games as outlined above are technologically feasible right now.  We are near the point with inter-dream communication that Alexander Bell was when he spoke “Mister Watson, come here! I need you!”  So who wants to be the first Bell and Watson of the dream world? 
     
    Ideas for dream games?  Send me a note at PlainLabelBooks@gmail.com.

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