dream machines : science fiction meets sleep

Over the past several months I’ve found myself becoming a student of sleep.  For the most part, this has been the result of a move towards Biphasic sleep (an on-going process to be sure).  Beyond that though, I’ve been doing some reading regarding the purpose of sleep, how to get the most out of it, and different factors that can adversely affect it.

One of the most fascinating things I’ve come across are efforts to shape the nature of our dreams through various mechanical means.

First up, fighting insomnia.  After all, you can’t dream if you don’t sleep. Scientists are developing ways to use magnetic pulses to simulate deep sleep by provoking ’slow wave’ activity in the brain. 

Researchers believe the same principles could be used to create a machine which can electronically stimulate a deep-sleep power nap. This mimics the restorative benefits of eight hours of rest.

With a single pulse, we were able to induce a wave that looks identical to the waves the brain makes normally during sleep,” he said.

Imagine getting 8 hours of sleep in 15 minutes.

Next, consider the benefits of ‘lucid dreaming’; i.e. being aware you’re in a dream while you sleep.  A company called Cerebrex (sounds vaguely X-men-ian, no?) has a line of devices intended to ‘wake you up’ inside your dreams so you can take control of them.

The “Dream Mate” ($199) features infa-red monitors which detect REM (rapid eye movements) and ‘alerts’ the wearer via LEDs in order to induce lucid dreaming. 

On the other end of the price scale is the $1200 ‘DreamLight’:

The DreamLight is the state of the art in lucid dream induction technology. Developed through years of research by Dr. LaBerge and his colleagues at Stanford University, the DreamLight brings the expertise of the sleep laboratory into your own home. It is a miniature biofeedback computer with sensing apparatus to detect when you are in REM sleep, in which dreaming occurs. When the DreamLight decides that you are dreaming, it gives you a cue, either a flashing light and/or sound, through the comfortable sleep mask. The cue reminds you to recognize that you are dreaming. 

Finally, onward to the truly bizarre.

Japanese toy-maker Takara is selling the Yumemi Kobo — Japanese for “dream workshop”.  The device works by stimulating the REM level sleeper with lights, sounds, and even smells intended to evoke a specific dream of the users choice. 

The dream machine comes equipped with a voice recorder, array of lights, picture frame, fragrance dispenser, selection of internally stored background music, two speakers and a timer.

Working in conjunction, these components allow users to design their dreams through multisensory stimuli of scents, sounds and more.

“The general concept is you’d sit down with it for a few minutes before you go to bed,” said Peter Harwood, senior marketing manager with Takara USA. Once this is done, he added, you are ready to visit Venice in your dreams.

Sounds a bit like witchcraft.  AWESOME witchcraft.  My only fear would be my prankster friends switching out my picture of Lucia Tovar with Rosie O’Donnel.

The horror.

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