REM Detecting LED Goggle Device Nova Dreamer Wanna Be Thing

I’ve played around with it once. I know the basic concepts though.

The source for the kvasar mask is written in some high level language called “jal”. Seems easy enough but the source and it’s comments is in swedish. Easy for me to understand and modify, but maybe not for you? :smile:

Most of your features are already coded in it from the looks of the source.

EDIT: I think you missed the link on the other page, look here for more on the kvasar: brindefalk.solarbotics.net/kvasar/kvasar.html

EDIT_2: I just noticed he included a translated version of the source. A good opportunity to brush up on your swedish. :smile:

I found an interesting microcontroller on microchip’s (the guys who made the PIC architecture) site that can handle USB.

PIC16C745

I could code this thing if you wanted, and then you test it out (i dont think i’ll be able to get my hands on the equipment to work with these things until i’m 16)

I am not sure but i think that the C in PIC16C745 means that it is not reprogramable. You can only program it once. The F models are reprogramable (correct me if i’m wrong).

I am going to build a programmer for Atmel AVR:s instead. They are more versatile and a little more expensive. But i figured that i will only buy one for each project i make anyway.

Ohwell, whatever works best for you.

Seriously, I would like to see work on a guide for an advanced dream mask that can be programmed both by buttons on the unit and companion software.

F is flash and C is for some other thing you can reprogram if you can erase the chip with UV or something… i know reading both are reprogramable, but the F is the easy one to do so.

But you’re right, the C ones you usually program once and that’s it…

… i got my project together, all hooked up right but it’s not calibrating. there’s two reasons this may be happening:

1- the chip’s not programmed right … i sometimes get an error message so i don’t know how well it gets programmed even when i don’t get the error…

2- hiding under the blankets in the basement is not enough darkness for the sensor (but that’s a bit weird)

… or maybe i didn’t calibrate the IR led properly, i’ll play with that some more…

meanwhile I e-mailed Bjorn and asked about these things, i hope he’ll reply soon.

I’d try reprogramming the chip (if you can)

I came up with an interesting function for an MCU-controlled Dream Mask:

Remember when LaBerge tested the validity of Lucid Dreaming? And how he used a machine to track eye movements? Well, if the sensors can track eye movements, then you could have the mask continually flasing LEDs until you continuously move your eyes in a pre-determined pattern.

And another one:

A mode called ‘learning mode’ where the mask would just gather data about REM periods without giving cues. Then, the mask could target your cues to your longest REM period. (thus, disabling the need for WBTB!)

The only limits are the sensors you use and the amount of memory in the computer (the PIC).

My first design (if i make one) will aim to have only one basic function (to detect REM and flash) and to be as small as possible.

I’m not even sure if i could sleep with a mask on, even less with one that has hard parts (batteries, sensor mountings etc).

i’m still stuck with my kvasar lol… I didn’t reprogram it since I last posted, but I’ll try doing that tonight. If that doesn’t work my dad said he could help me out by using an oscilloscope and seeing if the ir led works and if the sensor works too… I checked the contacts, there are no short circuits or anything wrong…

One thing I did notice though is the adjustable resistor messing up… It was set to 40 ohm and when i took another measurment it was all the way up to 200 or so… And it didn’t move or anything so i don’t know what happened… I’ll try and buy a new one and see if that does the trick…

it’s fun though, going through all the functions and setting everything up… the mask beeps as it’s supposed to but the leds don’t really work the same way they’re supposed to from the manual…

so i’m thinking either the programming messed up or there’s something wrong with the way i built things.

but when i do the calibration i get two beeps… which is what i should get… but then when i do the test i don’t know what the result means… both leds flash once and then it goes back to the B programming mode…

so i don’t really know what’s wrong…

:smile: the sensor had one pin disconnected… now it works… better… but it has other issues. i did reprogram the pic and verified it a bunch of times with no errors, so i would assume it got programmed right.

but the leds don’t flash when they’re supposed to (ie, when in the manual it says “shows on leds”… well nothing shows there… though the mask beeps right)… and now when i do the calibration, it just doesn’t work anymore.

i’m thinking maybe something else isn’t hooked up right, so i’ll be checking things out more, but this is getting kinda annoying lol…

I got a reply from Brindefalk to my e-mail… a VERY helpful trick (which i didn’t even think about).

Last night I tested the sensor with a remote control, to see if it works. And the sensor did picj up the IR light properly.
I also checked all my connections, and it all seems to be fine… except maybe for the IR led (which i can’t see right now since it’s attached to the mask)… I guess i should have taken my time. However, he told me i could use a video camera to try and see if the IR led works :smile:

I’ll be trying that later on today.

IT WORKS !!! :happy:

well, it doesn’t detect my eye movement yet, because it’s probably programmed in a very messed up way (i’ve been trying the buttons a bit ramdomly to get the leds going)…

but i can calibrate it right, and if i move my finger in front of it it flashes the leds :happy: :cool_laugh: :grin:

all i need to do now is program it right and try it out tonight

cough cough i would like to thank everyone who supported me, my family, uhm, god… the academy… :wink: sorry, i’m being a kid.

COOOL! Good work! :beer:

Tell us if you sleep with it on later (if you get it to detect eye movement). Maybe it just need some modification of the mask to align the diode?

now I’ll definetly have to build one to keep up :smile:

:neutral: well… i can’t make it work.
i got it to detect my eye opening and closing, i guess the movement of my eyelash does the trick. however, with the eyes closed, the sensor doesn’t seem to pick up anything. if i increase the intensity nothing changes, if i decrease it too much, the sensor won’t calibrate…

the fine line in-between (where the sensor calibrates but is dim enough to pick up the changes in intensity) just doesn’t seem to happen…

either the IR led and sensor aren’t placed in the best position relative to each other… or … i dunno.

i’ll keep trying, but i’ve been trying for the past three nights.

sigh

hehe, i’m such an idiot…

the reason it didn’t work is that every time i tried to see if the calibration worked, i looked down when moving my eyes left and right. last night i tried it again, looking straight ahead and it worked perfectly… it even flashed after i went out of the test mode :smile: i don’t really know why i was looking down, but the mask works allright.

i tried it last night, from about 5 i had it on… the problem is at 5:30 or something there was already light outside (starting to be at least) and the calibration probably went off. I have to get some blinds or maybe have some padding or something around and over the mask.

for now i’ll just try earlier, at 3 or 4, and i’ll try to go to sleep before 11.

I started thinking about making my own version of the kvasar. I won’t be using any eye-movement detection and I won’t use a mask since I probably won’t be able to sleep with it on. I’m going to get a PIC and use high intensity leds at each side of the bed. I think it will work since I usually don’t sleep on my back.

I will program a timer that will turn on after 1-2 hours. And I’ll have a button to delay the flashing if I wake up and the leds are blinking. The only problem will be if it’s too bright in the room, then I probably won’t see the blinking.
And since I have most of the parts needed, it won’t be that expensive. I will only have to buy the PIC and some leds :content:

Mine works now, I will try it tonight. It’s quite simple, it starts with a delay of 10 minutes and there’s one button that works as a RC and to increase the delay by 10 minutes with each key-press. When the delay is down to 0 it will flash for about 10 seconds. And then start over with the 10 minutes delay.

Are you getting any LD:s from it?

No, not yet. I have been tweaking it all week trying to get it to work properly. And now it finally works the way it should, but my dream recall has been much lower than usual for some reason. And it’s been over 2 weeks since I have had a LD last time :cry: .

I have only seen flashing lights in my dreams once this week. But I did wake up two times this night while the lights where flashing.