For those of you who haven’t seenWaking Life, lucid dreaming is the ability to remain aware during the heavier REM sleep stages and exert a measure of control over dreams. Some people are able to do this naturally, but it is (at least theoretically) possible for anyone to train their mind to have some control over their dreams. Enter Remee, the sleep mask with an embedded Atmega168 processor and six programmable red LEDs. The device, which recently showed up on Kickstarter after 10 years of development by Duncan Frazier and Steve McGuigan. It was a huge success for the duo, bringing in $572,891 pledges — much more than their goal of $35,000.
The Remee mask is designed to be customizable while being as lightweight as possible. It closely resembles a traditional sleep mask, but it comes with several hardware additions. On the front, it has two light sensors that allow the Atmega168 processor to be programmed by holding the mask up to a computer screen (with the Remee settings website loaded). On the back, it has three red LEDs per eye, which is where the magic happens.
One of the biggest hurdles to lucid dreaming is being able to consciously realize that you are in a dream. What Remee does is activate its red lights in programmable patterns once it detects that you are in REM sleep. The light is not bright enough to wake you up, but just enough to pass through your eyelids and cause visual anomalies in your dreams. Then, during your dreaming, by noticing the anomalies in the distance, you can become aware that you are dreaming. After that, like Neo in The Matrix, can then exert control over the world that only exists in your mind.
True lucid dreaming will still take training and practice, but the Remee mask is a good tool to allow you to break through the veil and become aware during your dreams. It was a very successful Kickstater, but many likely still question whether or not the device is legit. Without having one in hand, I cannot say for sure, but I can vouch for lucid dreaming itself. Everyone’s mind is different, but it is a least plausible that the device could help someone become aware during their dreams.
