Scientists Can Now Record Dreams, The Future Of Thought & Dream Manipilation

While most here seem to see little value in this research, I see it differently. I think it’s critical research that will become more relevant over time.

A lot of progress has been made over the past 10-15 years in the area of brainwave research. As was stated in the videos, an obvious application that benefits from this kind of research is enabling the disabled to control devices purely by thought (artificial limbs, exoskeletons, runnung a computer, etc). The demos in the vids are pretty crude, but will be improved over time. You have to start somewhere.

I can see where this research is ultimately heading, and I’ll bet it’s implemented by the end of this century. Computer hardware and software will most certainly be capable of replicating the functions of the Human brain by 2050 or shortly after. Deny it all you like, but it’s not sci-fi and it’s going to happen. You’ll be hard pressed to find anyone in the industry who disagrees with that. Also, various disciplines within brain science, neuroscience, etc. are advancing at breakneck speed. The ability to map the human brain cell by cell, neuron by neuron, capturing it’s current running/functioning state via brainwave (electrical) activity, and then correctly interpreting that activity in a meaningful way is critical if we are to be able digitize the data for uploading into a machine. And from everything I’ve read, those are the plans. Whether they will be able to capture all the subtle nuances and properties of a feeling (sentient), self-aware being, I wouldn’t know. Not being able to do that, however, doesn’t necessarily mean the excercise was in vain. In any case, I think that's the direction it's headed in.

In many areas of scientific research, it’s not always clear what applications will spring from it in the future. That, however, doesn’t lessen the value of the research. In this case, however, it’s quite clear there is great value in brainwave research. Of course, like any other developing technology, it’s a double-edged sword. Let’s just hope we’re able to effectively control it’s use, and it doesn’t turn against us.

Personally, I think there’s a more than even chance our technology will eventually do us in. It presents too many opportunities for those with bad intentions, and eventually it will become too powerful for us to control. At the same time, I’m fascinated with it and can imagine the magical world it could bring to us. It’s kind of a love-hate thing. But, since we can’t stop progress, I guess the only choice is to hope for the best...

Yeah, one of our own ats black ops bean spillers, As-to the 0, DID say this (dreams/consciousness being accessed via tech) was already utilized by a previously black ops segment... who are now a separate society altogether... and sci-fi tale spinners have already spun endless tales about it... however...

the post tying this dream recording to the drug that would make a few hours seem like a thousand years could be utilized, with refinements, of course, to all's benefit.

Imagine a genius being able to do several lifetimes of work in a single night... all being recorded and then used.

It would accelerate our science to undreamed of highs in a matter of months... hmmm...

And, if we could all hook into a shared dreamworld, then we'd all be... er ... gods.

For those afraid of folks going away and leaving this particular reality...which some idiots have already done their best to ruin, btw, I'd say don't worry so much... humans express themselves and live in many different ways already... who is correct about which way is the best... aside from obvious basic guidelines about imposing one's will and well being on/over others, that is.

The future will be weirder than we can even imagine... let's just try to keep the violent, paranoid life-deniers from spoiling the party!

originally posted by: Baddogma
Yeah, one of our own ats black ops bean spillers, As-to the 0, DID say this (dreams/consciousness being accessed via tech) was already utilized by a previously black ops segment... who are now a separate society altogether... and sci-fi tale spinners have already spun endless tales about it... however...



the post tying this dream recording to the drug that would make a few hours seem like a thousand years could be utilized, with refinements, of course, to all's benefit.



Imagine a genius being able to do several lifetimes of work in a single night... all being recorded and then used.



It would accelerate our science to undreamed of highs in a matter of months... hmmm...



And, if we could all hook into a shared dreamworld, then we'd all be... er ... gods.



For those afraid of folks going away and leaving this particular reality...which some idiots have already done their best to ruin, btw, I'd say don't worry so much... humans express themselves and live in many different ways already... who is correct about which way is the best... aside from obvious basic guidelines about imposing one's will and well being on/over others, that is.
The future will be weirder than we can even imagine... let's just try to keep the violent, paranoid life-deniers from spoiling the party!

Just think if this devive becomes available to all, it would take the place of entertainment by leaps and bounds. . . .

lifeboat.com...

By 2050, and likely sooner, you will be able to buy a BCI device that records all your dreams in their entirety. This will be done in one of two ways. One method would be to use distributed nanobots less than a micrometer in diameter to spread throughout the brain and monitor the activation patterns of neurons.

By this point, cognitive science will have advanced enough to know which neural activation patterns correspond to which sensory experiences. This has already been done with cats (using electrodes, not nanobots), where researchers led by scientist Garrett Stanley were able to extrapolate what a cat was seeing merely by monitoring the neurons of its visual cortex. Here are some images they obtained:




The next steps will be to increase the resolution, add monitoring of emotions, sounds, and smells, and make it safe for human use. An alternative route, if nanobots are still not ready for commercial deployment by 2050, is to have minimally invasive surgery where tiny holes, no larger than a grain of sand, are drilled in the skull. (Small price to pay, I’d say. And if drilling holes in the skull, even holes too small to do any damage, bothers you, then wait for the nanobots.)

Electronic nanofibers could be routed through these holes from a port on the outside to neurons throughout the brain. The holes could be protected by a plastic membrane, ensuring that no foreign particles could pass through them into the brain. The access ports on the scalp would be compatible with a BCI headset designed to monitor activity in specific neural groups and selectively stimulate neurons according to a program.

A major challenge, of course, would be to get FDA approval for such a device. The therapeutic and practical benefits of a high-resolution BCI device are so large that if it can be shown not to cause any damage or negative side effects to its user, approval seems likely.

If the BCI device offers input to the brain as well as recording output, then dreams could be played back too. A Dream Machine would let us show our dreams to others. If we know which neural activation pattern corresponds to which perceptions (sight, sounds, etc.), it’s not a huge leap to selectively stimulate neurons to produce customized dream scenarios, or even enter the dreams of others in action. (In ascending order of technological difficulty.)

Manipulating our dreams… how many thousands of years has humanity waited for this? Here’s a frequent kind of background I see in my dreams:




…other things I see include gigantic academic complexes, cliff networks, green hills overlooking sunny blue bays, and many others. I’m sure you can imagine hundreds of scenarios from your dreams, many of which seem so fleeting. But it won’t necessarily be that way forever.

The possible societal effects of a Dream Machine would be immense. Dream recordings and recreations would offer an opportunity to:

1) Validate or refute Freudian theories about the connections of dreams to subconscious or conscious psychological states.

2) Create a “science of dreams” or oneirology, that organizes all available dream data, breaks up dreams into categories, studies which type of people get which dreams, etc.

3) Create a “dream entertainment industry” where people choose to have customized dreams, with features like greater visual complexity or richness of colors, or even massively multiplayer dreams.

4) The possible rise of “dream celebrities” — people who freely upload their dreams for others to examine, followed by a positive reception. People might lead double lives — boring accountant by day, world-famous lucid dreamer by night. Some people might even get paid for their dreams.

5) Uncover the hidden world of dreams that barely rise above our subconscious. People tend to have several dreams per night, but remember only one or two. We experience these dreams when they happen, our brain just neglects to transfer the information content into long-term memory. (The reasons for this are likely evolutionary — we would get confused about reality if we remembered too many of our dreams.) Imagine if we could record all these dreams and play them back at will. With enough storage density (molecular memory), you could even store your dreams on a pendant around your neck.

6) Convert dream-worlds into real-worlds; amusement parks based on dreams, or utility fog banks that quickly morph in response to a given personal or collective dreamscape. Or vice versa: turn real world places and people into dream objects.

7) In general, blur the line between dreams and reality by making dreams more tangible, manipulable, interactive, customizable, and social. Bring dreams “in from the cold”. Make dreams as mysterious, colorful, productive, foreign, erotic, or mundane as you want them to be.

Considering these possibilities, the first thing that makes me nervous is that people would institute inappropriate regulations over the use of this technology. For instance, some groups of people might hate the idea of removing some of the “mystery of dreams” (like how modern biology ostensibly dispels some of the mystery of life, or modern physics dispels some of the mystery of nature) through technology. As someone who is socially liberal, barring sufficiently negative externalities, I’d advocate light regulation on this technology. Heavy regulation should be saved for more dangerous technologies such as synthetic biology and molecular nanotechnology.

This technology has so very many applications for learning and good this would be a great boon to our civilization.

However I would also expect some morons to try and think of some nefarious uses for this technology.

I would imagine there is some secret tech out there ahead of what we have shown to the public.

So Total Recall full on manipulation may be possible toaday.

i would love it if I could control my dreams either make them like a movie or change them as they go.

I already have my own personal dream world thanks to lucid dreaming.

I created a place for me to live, a massive mansion where there is a 24/7 party happening. I've only been there twice so far but it looked identical both times.

If I had 1000 years lucid dream time I would master all the powers and abilities you can do, and explore every inch of the dream world.

originally posted by: Eonnn
I already have my own personal dream world thanks to lucid dreaming.



I created a place for me to live, a massive mansion where there is a 24/7 party happening. I've only been there twice so far but it looked identical both times.



If I had 1000 years lucid dream time I would master all the powers and abilities you can do, and explore every inch of the dream world.

I would imagine everyones lucid dream would would be different by design, and pehaps some could upload certain aspects to a kind of cloud for others to download if they wanted. . .

Just think we could write out what we wanted our lucid dreams to be like or decide which direction we wanted the dream to take while we were in it.

originally posted by: Baddogma
Yeah, one of our own ats black ops bean spillers, As-to the 0, DID say this (dreams/consciousness being accessed via tech) was already utilized by a previously black ops segment... who are now a separate society altogether... and sci-fi tale spinners have already spun endless tales about it... however...



the post tying this dream recording to the drug that would make a few hours seem like a thousand years could be utilized, with refinements, of course, to all's benefit.



Imagine a genius being able to do several lifetimes of work in a single night... all being recorded and then used.



It would accelerate our science to undreamed of highs in a matter of months... hmmm...



And, if we could all hook into a shared dreamworld, then we'd all be... er ... gods.



For those afraid of folks going away and leaving this particular reality...which some idiots have already done their best to ruin, btw, I'd say don't worry so much... humans express themselves and live in many different ways already... who is correct about which way is the best... aside from obvious basic guidelines about imposing one's will and well being on/over others, that is.



The future will be weirder than we can even imagine... let's just try to keep the violent, paranoid life-deniers from spoiling the party!

Yeah thats just the tip of the iceberg to what we could do if the technology was in the hands of the many rather than in the hands of the few.

Now we just need to combine it with controlling lucid dreams FTW!

a reply to: FormOfTheLord

The day they can record lucid dreams will be the day movies will reach new heights.

originally posted by: _damon
a reply to: FormOfTheLord



The day they can record lucid dreams will be the day movies will reach new heights.

I imagine that is most likely the future of entertainment and video games may become dream games, as well as simulated training and such for work, military, and every sector of industry we may have. The applications are truly endless.
It could even be a weapon made to induce a dream state over them minds of people making them see and experience what you want rather than what is really there even while in the waking state.

There are already quite a few dream manipulation devices out there, I would expect them to improve in the future. I would love it if we could create our own dream worlds like our own personal heavens, that would be cool.

a reply to: FormOfTheLord

This may also lead to another capability. Have you ever had a glimps of a future event while you were sleeping? If those images could be captured and somehow differentiated from regular dream images, you might be able to accurately predict future events. It might even be something that you could train your brain to do like lucid dreaming is.

a reply to: FormOfTheLord

Interesting.

originally posted by: LibertyKrueger
a reply to: FormOfTheLord

This may also lead to another capability. Have you ever had a glimps of a future event while you were sleeping? If those images could be captured and somehow differentiated from regular dream images, you might be able to accurately predict future events. It might even be something that you could train your brain to do like lucid dreaming is.

Who knows the mind may be creating the world illusion we see meaning we could eventually create reality likened to the matrix movie but in the real world and according to our wishes. Now that would be cool!

originally posted by: _damon
a reply to: FormOfTheLord

The day they can record lucid dreams will be the day movies will reach new heights.

Well they can record dreams already so we are close.

a reply to: yuppa

Yuppa,

Here's my question. He said they basically use our subconscious to work out a piece of a math puzzle. Like they have a complex math problem and break it down and give each mind a variable to figure out. Then they go and put the pieces together. Or may be the forever men do and they flyby and Hoover up the solutions.

If they can using these machines right now detect what human is seeing in their dream. I.e. apple, red, woman, danger etc. How hard woukd it be to detect the brain going 1. 1. 0. 1. 0. 1. 1. 0. 0. 0 . 1. And doing basic math.

If they can observe the brain and chart out the synaptic signatures of a brain performing basic math. How hard would it be to build a machine that can reliably via synaptic induction via some sort of radio or energy beam induce seeing numbers in your head? If it's being synaptically induced would your brain even recognize this as outside cerebral stimulation and simply accept this as a internally or subconsciously manifested thought.

If they could get that far why not create some sort of subconscious ear worm where your subconscious mind keeps going over and over again some simple math problem constantly until it solves it. Our brains would take quite naturally to this stimulation would imagine. The brain loves to solve problems and figure out missing variables in a stimulus. Like when we see a triangle without its corners our brain automatically fills them in for us and we see the corners even though they arent there. Or like when we listen to music through earphones there is actualky no bass being transmitted. But our brain hears it anyways cause it extrapolated that data from the overtone harmonic series and fills it in for us.

Use a beam that riably induces the synapses to do this math ear worm trick and then fly over a month later with the sensor that detects the signatures from the brain and then try and put it together.

Use a large group of subjects to compute math or solve problems.

Here's something wild. Not saying this makes sense but here's a hypothesis. Get a population to do the preliminary maths and solving forvthevdub variables in sone crazy equation or problem they need to solve. Beam that info to the forever man who unwittingly shares the data with his clone that A-0 said they have. The clone then gets the data subconciously and is kept in that dream state where a 1000 days is experienced in one night or dream and have it work on very advanced problems. That could be a way a break away civilization could advance in science so quickly.

Being able to scan the brain waves and decode it to control devices or machines would be a remarkable technological achievement. The only problem I have with it's our body parts are intimately tied to our brain and they work precisely because they actually exist. If we're not using our body parts to control a machine then the "signal" might be weak since it's not intimately tied to the brain like a functioning body part is.

I can't suddenly use effectively a hand with 15 fingers, right? I'd have to be trained, if it doesn't use my already existing body parts.

I think what this technology becomes is so hard to predict. I wish Arthur C Clarke were here to offer up some ideas. He was part of a BBC Horizon show in 1964 where he predicted some things with uncanny skill. He saw how communications satellites would allow us to communicate instantly across hte planet. He saw how cities might fail to be the central social meeting places, as people can instantly communicate wherever they're. He worried Earth might become a giant suburbia. To some extent, he's right! People use cellphones and handhelds so often now to communicate. Millions have used chat programs!! Millions play MMO's and meet actively in virtual game worlds. He also saw how surgeons could perform surgeries thousands of miles away from the operation by remotely controlling a robot. This has happened! He even speculated about matter copiers and genetically engineered monkeys used as slaves. With 3d printers and Helping Hands (an actual company), his speculations are not too far off the mark.

I imagine devices reading our mind won't be albe to do so without some kind of link between the two. Either we wear a helmet or a device on our scalp actively decodes and transmits or something of that nature. Depending on the availability of this system, its uses could be widespread or rare.

What dreams--or nightmares--may come?