ConnectionsNew research suggests that it may be entirely possible for the dream world to be reflected in our conscious reality.
A new study by three researchers from a US neurotechnology company REM Space It turns out that with a little training, some of us may be able to react and respond to the devices around us while “lucid dreaming.”
Lucid dreaming is the ability to recognize that you are dreaming while you are dreaming. It is a skill that can be trained, Half the population Experienced The phenomenon occurs naturally.
Lucid dreaming has intrigued researchers ever since it was first examined by scientists in 1975. One of the most fascinating possibilities is currently being tested.
In preliminary experiments, five experienced lucid dreamers (including two of the researchers) were able to control the movements of a virtual avatar in their dreams by closing their eyes and responding to illuminated LED triggers.
While in the depths of REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, participants maintained control of the virtual Cybertruck by using muscle contractions in their arms and legs to purposefully avoid obstacles, represented by bright flashes of light.
Although the subjects didn’t actually dream about driving, the basic concept of responding to cues while asleep could lead to new ways of bridging the gap between the dream state and the waking world.
During REM sleep, most muscles Almost paralyzedHowever, microcontractions can also occur during lucid dreaming. California-based neurotechnology startup REMspace has developed a special device that can detect tiny twitches in the legs and arms while you sleep.
But before participants could drive a car in their dreams, they first had to be taught how to react when they were awake.
With their eyes closed, subjects were trained to control the movement of a virtual car on a screen: When the car needed to turn to avoid an obstacle, two lights were shone on the subjects’ closed eyes.
A twitch of the left or right arm steers the virtual car in the respective direction, while tensing both feet pushes the pedals full throttle.
Once we successfully maneuvered around the obstacle, the two lights went out.
Once participants understood the system, it was time to try it out while they were sleeping. The researchers attached electrodes to the subjects’ skulls to determine when they were in REM sleep.
During the dream, participants signaled to the researchers that they were ready to drive by moving their eyes from side to side at least three times in a row.
Then the car’s engine started.
“After the avatar was activated, participants received an obstacle signal immediately if there was an obstacle in front of the object.” explain Researchers at REMspace published the findings in a peer-reviewed paper.
“Participants had to run, squat, tense their quadriceps and use their arms to change direction when obstacles appeared.”
When participants woke up the next day, they had to describe how they responded to the task while asleep and give a verbal report of their experience.
Finally, each participant was challenged to drive the virtual car, making a total of 28 correct turns.
But it’s a difficult task even for experienced lucid dreamers.
One participant had five lucid dreams over three nights, but only attempted to actually drive a car twice: on the first occasion, he made two controlled turns and drove straight for a while before waking up; on the second occasion, he made several controlled turns and a few unnecessary turns, but was woken by a flash of light.
Another participant He successfully completed 17 controlled turns to avoid imaginary obstacles while he slept, but at one point his legs became numb and he was unable to contract the muscles.
REMspace researchers believe that with the right guidance, most people could be trained to achieve similar feats. studyThe same research team taught some lucid dreamers how to use muscle movements to send “voice commands” to a smart house, allowing them to control lights, a kettle and a radio while they slept.
The latest research could provide proof of concept that lucid dreamers are able to “receive feedback” about the state of their system and “respond appropriately to it.”
“Two-way interaction with computers from dreams opens up new technological territory,” said the REMspace founders. Michael Raduga, leader of the experiment, said: say In the release.
“For now, these developments are still in their infancy, but they will soon change how we think about human capabilities.”
First, the researchers say, there is a need to improve the body’s sensors, which don’t always pick up on the subtle twitches that lucid dreamers are trying to wake up with.
However, with further development and further related research, the team think They said,[unite] Dreams and the material world Replicating the experiments with a larger, independent team of researchers could also help identify additional research directions.
“The next step is to demonstrate bidirectional control of a physical object (e.g. robot, car, drone, etc.),” ​​the REMspace researchers said. Conclusion.
“The functions of a smart home are [lucid dreams]”
Imagine having your morning coffee brewed while you sleep…
This study International Journal of Dream Research.
