Conference hydra::dejavu

    Sorry to say this, but if its being done well, then it probably
    involves several thousand dollars worth of equipment.  REM sleep
    is determined by noting combinations of patterns between eye movements
    (determined by detecting faint electrical signals from the muscles
    which move the eyes) and a particular *change* in the pattern of
    brainwaves.
    
    Equipment to do this needs to be somewhat better than your standard
    "biofeedback" monitor.  You can tell a waking subject to sit still
    so you don't get a lot of confusing readings from muscle movements,
    and so the wires don't get tangled and pulled.
    
    Furthermore, a circuit or a computer program which would find the
    pattern would, I would think, have to be pretty sophisticated. 
    Without having seen the program, I would not be surprised if the
    flash of light were not produced by an experimenter pushing a button
    on the basis of the trace on a pen recorder.
    
    I am interested, however, in more details.  Was this part of the
    Stanford work?  Was this a research effort or a "typical" California
    cash-in commercial enterprise?
    
    				Topher

< Note 340.1 by PBSVAX::COOPER "Topher Cooper" >
>    I am interested, however, in more details.  Was this part of the
>    Stanford work?  Was this a research effort or a "typical" California
>    cash-in commercial enterprise?
        The work/project/interview  was done by Stephen LeBerge (sp?)
        of the Stanford  Sleep  Research  Center.  In his book "Lucid
        Dream(s/ing?)" he covers much of the content of the interview
        in detail.
        
        Robert.
        

RE: 340.2
    
    I'm familiar with LaBerge's (that's the correct spelling) book.
    I recommend it in note 10.31 and again (for good measure) in note
    235.8.  If the goggles are his work they are legitimate.  I suspect,
    however, that they are rather expensive.
    
    I don't remember anything about them appearing in Lucid Dreaming.
    Have I just forgotten it (I ask you since you "just finished the
    book")?  Now that I think about it I vaguely remember an offhand
    remark about starting to investigate a technique of flashing a light
    on someone's eyelids to induce a lucid dream in his talk at the
    Parapsychological Association meeting last August (or perhaps I'm
    fooling myself).
    
    					Topher

    The signal levels coming from the eye muscles are enough higher
    during REM sleep that it is a relative simple to detect dream sleep
    this way. None of the circcuits needed are particularly high tech.
    The instrumentation amp, filters,timers, etc could be made to high
    enough standards with radio shack parts. Electrodes are about the
    only thing that I can think of that aren't readily available.
     Of course complete accuracy wouldn't be achievable, but
    most dreams could be detected.
    
    	 In one of Leberge's books he does refer to a machine they built
    at Stanford. They used a small electric shock to the arm to alert
    the subject. Its possible that this would alert the subject better
    without waking him than a flashing light.
    
    					j  turner

RE: .4 (j turner)

    If you are trying to get clean EEG's such as in a dream laboratory you
    don't want to flash a light in someones eyes if you can avoid it -- it
    will contaminate your readings.

    By the way, my sources say that Leberge will come out with his lucid
    dream simulator soon -- the cost will be several hundred dollars.

				    Topher

    
    This reminds me of something a friend recently checked out while in
    New York City.  I think he was reading Time magazine or something in
    which there was an article about a company/process called Synchro-
    Energize.  He discovered that the place wasn't too far off, and being
    the spontaneous guy he is he went for a session.
    
    It consisted of special goggles that flashed light (of a particular
    part of the spectrum) at varying rates in each eye.  Each eye seemed
    to follow a different scheme of patterns and rates, etc.  I suspect
    they were not without their connection to results from sessions that
    occured in the development of this process.
    
    My friend told of having to shut off the analytical part of his mind
    (no small feat for him) and just flow with the kaliedescope of colors
    that he was seeing.  He had also chosen some classical music for his
    journey.
    
    He said that at one point the lights induced a peculiar feeling in the
    center of his brain that felt like it was being tickled - and he could
    not contain his laughter.
    
    For an added price, you can get a guided session where a technician
    will hold pleasant patterns for as long as you like - and you can
    record the taylored session for playback at later sessions.
    
    After the session, my friend felt that anything that he concentrated
    on became *really* focussed upon.  Things just really "stood out".
    
    To a lesser extent this state remained with him for a day or two later.
    
    guy

    Guy,
    
    This reminds me of the 'machine' in the movie Total Recall!!!  ;^)
    
    Ro
    

    re .7
    Ro,
    I *think* I saw the movie but I'm not sure.  What kind of machine was
    it?
    
    Paul

    
    ....didn't see that movie, Ro......:-)
    
    guy

    It is that new Arnold Swartzenieger (sp) movie that was out earlier
    this summer.  The machine is hooked up to your brain and you experience
    a vacation to an exotic place (Arnold picked Mars) in your mind without 
    ever 'leaving home'.  Interesting concept, but I prefer my own
    fantasies  ;^)
    
    Ro
    

    He is spelled Arnold Schwarzenegger - and happens to be one
    of Austria's most famous export products ...
    
    ;-);-)
    Karin_who_also_saw_that_movie