Well, that Kvasar PIC project isn’t mine I just found the link
the other day.
I tried to build that as well, but it is not possible to buy that sensor here
in my country, so I did some modifications to the design. Currently
I am in the process of rewriting PIC code to suit my mod, but I am
terribly short of time these days.
In my own project I decided to use COM because of problems with
direct-accessing gameport and LPT under Win NT/2k/XP. Another
advantage of COM is that it has both inputs and outputs so there’s
no need to use two different ports then.
Alright ladies and gentlemen, the initial first night’s results are in - sensor working beautifully, LED’s are fully programmable and able to be dimmed, and last but not least the software is interfacing with the device and keeping accurate log files…
Further testing is needed before I can fully complete the software and make everything publicly available… but I do have tons of photos I’ll be posting very soon - I’m on my way out to se if I can find something to keep the wires coming out of the goggles to be exposed so people won’t need to worry about frying, and I’ve already got an idea… I’m on my way to the hardware store now…
"…would you rather I started just selling a new package at around $100 for a completed system and software? "
we would rather have it for 20$:)
Its great that some people do the research on this topic and im happy to see theres some progress going on.Finally some competitveness to ND and its uneasy price:)
Wish you all the best with it:)
ps.I prolly wont become your customer very soon as my wages in this stupid country rarely go over 250 a month,but if you ever need a dream maniac to test it id be more than happy to do it.
Been into lds for over 2 yrs now,thats my huge passion andstarting from next month ill be having plenty time for sleeping:)
anyways…one more time congratullations and good luck:)
If you could provide some more information on your projects, I’m very interested in your designs, using the USB/COM port and all. I’m an engineering student who’s taking a sensors course, and building a lucid dream induction device is going to be my final project. My goals are to have no batteries and to use only one port on the computer, as well as make my device as simple and inexpensive as possible. I’ll be programming in Visual Basic 6.0, Idunno what you guys are using, but yeah. Let’s see some circuits, some photos, whatever you want to share, I’m looking for ideas, info, whatever you’ve got to spread around. Thanks much! Dream on, bros. =)
I’ve never wanted a NovaDreamer since I saw the price!
It will be cool to see how this thing evolves, maybe it could go full resale!
It sounds to be even better than te NovaDreamer, at a cheaper price
(I sound like a commercial…).
Now I just have to get a computer for my room and try to get my parents to understand what it is…
Yeah, I’ve been working hard to complete the project… Its based off schematics from Djem’s site… If you search the forum i think you can find a link. I’m still having a hard time getting the sensor to read eye movement better… I have already made three different prototypes. I have a model in swim goggles, which measured sensed movement decently, but let me tell you, waking up with a rings around my eyes and having sore eye sockets all day was not the way to go, then I made a model in safety goggles… Needless to say not the easiest things to sleep in, but better, however since the sensor then layed farther from the eyelid, there was almost null readings…
My latest version, which is everything put on a mask shaped peice of 10mil vinyl provides the flexibility to contour to the face, but unfortunately we are still having problems getting the sensor to pick up more detail, we will resolder the unit toda and pray to the lucidity gods and hopefully be able to move forward. I know I had said I was going to post pictures of the progress, and I am still working on it, but I am more interested obviously in making a working device then uploading pics of non working ones.
On a brighter note the software part of the project is near completion, leds are blinking on command, software reads and logs activity from the sensor to a ‘dreamlog’ file and its easy to open up the file and see when activity occured, the rest of the devolopment of the software at this point is waiting on the device itself to be ‘perfected’.
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SIDE NOTE TO ALL… Audible.com which i guess is a partner with amazon has a audio book called controlling your dreams, its on sale for $7, so i bought it right away and burnt it to cd, i figure, every little bit helps, and its narrated by the man himself, Stephen La Berge, so I coulsn’t pass it up… I just wanted to let everyone know so you could check it out - 1 hour of laberge’s techniques and personal experiences for $7 seemed like a steal for me… I think there is even a free 15 minute clip you can listen to on the site…
My new saying:
Live long and lucid… (while doing Vulcan hand thingy)
cool. I presume you’re using the optek sensor then, the OPB706A? I’m ordering parts tonight and I think that looks like a good sensor to suit this purpose. You said it read decently when in the goggles… how well does “decent” mean? I think with my design I’m planning to use the parallel port only, if I can. What programming language are you using? You mentioned that you’re trying to use the USB port exclusively… any luck with that?
Yeah - optek sensor, I’m getting them from digikey. I am programming in VB, as you are. I thought of going parallel only, but it would envolve much more work. I figured I’d just keep it the way it is until i have a working 100% prototype. I have a gameport to USB converter I am using, so I am half USB at the moment, but to go native 100% USB, I’d have to make a custom micro controller, and if I knew how to do that, I’d make a unit that would be self contained like the Nova Dreamer…
-yeap, I’m about to order my stuff from there in a few minutes… finally have some free time, ech. VB, huh, rock on. I haven’t started my program yet, but I want to have it do some of the things you’ve mentioned (i.e. keep a log/chart of eye movement, and allow some journaling as well) so that’s good to know others have done what I’m seeking to do. If you maybe want to share some code, I might be able to help you with your hardware…:
-I spent a while talking to faculty members at school today, and I think instead of using the game port, I’m going to stick a A-D converter into the circuit and run it all through the parallel. Once the parts get here and I have the opportunity to get hacking at it, we’ll see what I can come up with.
-yeah, USB is nice, but that’s the problem with trying to program for it… and the reason I decided to avoid it altogether. As for the novadreamer though, eh, why bother with a battery controlled device when you can have something like this, which will plug into the computer and play sound cues, keep sleep statistics, and let you journal your dreams right alongside the data from that night. With features like that, who needs that $250 rubbish, bah.
Also another idea I had; use electrodes to make a primitive EEG to track not only your REM cycle sleep, but also the stages of your NREM sleep as well, to see exactly what KIND of sleep you’re getting as the night progresses. Not sure if that’s a practical or safe idea yet (just an idea at this stage) but I plan to research possibilities in that direction and possibly incorporate that into my device. As well as a set of headphones. I listen to music every night as I fall asleep.
Let’s keep this dialogue up, I think we might be able to help one another.
I would love a program that’s cheap (ok 100 to me isn’t really cheap, but getting there) that would track my dreams. I like DJ’s but it would be good to get some connections going! Keep working on it, tell us what you come up with
I also support jbescup’s idea of using one port only, I think is good
to keep the number of wires as small as possible. On the other side
I don’t mind having a bit more complicated interface on this account.
But that’s just my personal opinion.
I am also stuck at the phase of sensor placement, it’s the real pain in the a**
jbescup, I have sent you some info via PM, maybe you will
find it useful. Regarding EEG, there’s a project called OpenEEG, but I guess it’s
too expensive to build it just for “fun”.
interesting site about the EEG stuff. I’ll have to peruse it more extensively later this week. Sounds like risky business though, from what I did read. Much more hazardous than I had thought, so maybe that idea is out… hmm. I’ll read more. Thanks for the info via PM, I think I may look into the possibility of using the serial port, after seeing what you did with it.
ok this is gonan sound really lame but it is an idea. you are all talking about being connected to your computer while you sleep that is cool but i see a few risks with it. i know a few people taht move around a lot when they sleep and if the mask is con to your computer by cables whats to say that rolling about wont pull the damn computer off the desk. unlikly i know but still. so i was thinking would it be at all poss to makea sort of memory card to store data on and then have the possibilty to upload later. as i dont know that much about how the connections would go i dont know how easy that would be to do.
Bar taht i think it is great. as i have been thinking about getting a Super NovaDreamer this sounds likea much better choice. keep up the great work all of you. you could be onto something big here.
that memory card idea, will work
you know the light and soung goggle i told you about in your thread
well the mind machine called ‘the proteus’, has a flash memory built in and there is no nned to connect it to a computer, just place the unit which is the size of a pack of ciggarettes under your pillow and then sleep, there is a setting where you can let it play for 1 hour so you can get to sleep then it stays on but makes no sound for 5 hours and then it starts to beep again a few time sending a light flash to the goggles you wear, and then that wakes you up so you can have a lucid dream. and the machine cost 170 dollars, and it does not end there, the machine can do so many things, even the whole machine can be fully upgraded if you connect it to a computer which is optional.
people said that they do work for lucid dreaming, but again you have to train your self, just like the nova dreamer and super nova dreamer, but the proteus is way cheaper and way better, it has an infinite possibilties, but the nova dreamer has just on posssibilty one light cue and a rem detector, bu there is no need for that.
hmm interesting idea so the cards do work cool. hmm but the rem dect is still good. i think the resons why other machines like that dont work is cause they flash or beep all night so that we tune it out like the ticking of a large clock taht is keeping us awake. so if we do it enough quickly when we dont expect it we shouldnt tune it out. or we will just wake up… strange
Hi macmansit, How’s the project going???
I built my first dream machine 13 years ago! I tried an old EEG for rem detection and it was quite accurate but the risk of electrocution put me off I have been thinking about building a new device recently, I have a novedreamer and I’m sure it can be much improved upon…
I not keen on the idea of wires connecting me to a laptop while asleep, we get regular lightening strikes and I don’t wanna get ZAPPED!
I was thinking of the possibility of a small transmitter and receiver between the device and my laptop, as it’s so close it could be very week and basic, what do you think?
Thanks for all the emails and IMs, your support is always welcome and appreciated. As far as the project:
The sensor we built our prototypes with was not strong enough to detect a wide enough spectrum of eye movement. In an attempt to figure out what we could do and further our research, we purchased two novadreamer units.
Let me tell you, I don’t blame you for being scared of the wires, I had to bribe people to use my first prototype as it made the wearer resemble a member of the borg collective…
PsycoNaught, the transmitter idea is a great idea, the only problem is it would most likely be an IR transmitter, and to work you would have to be facing the receiver all night, pretty head on. Thats not even what we are worried about at the moment. We are simply trying to find a sensor that will work for us without having to totally digitize or re-wire our basic unit first.
Now having tried out the NovaDreamer personally once we aquired the two units, I don’t even know if we will be able to further the project. The NovaDreamer is VERY light, VERY flexible, as much as any unit could EVER hope to be, it is an increadible design. The problem is it is still VERY awkward to wear. I can feel it there, and even when i put it on loosely its hard to be in any position other then flat on my back… When i deprive myself of sleep enough, or lay with it on for hours until I am able to actaully fall asleep with the unit on, even at its highest most sensitive setting on fresh batteries I have had no results.
Unfortunately I must admit… we are far from a holy grail of acheiving lucidity… I personally am now idly working on this project, while focusing on meditation, dream recall, and MILD / WILD techniques. Rest assured… one day I will find the elusive red pill of lucidity!!! Perhaps then we will finally be able to see just how deep the rabbit hole really goes…
Until I have further updates… Thanks again, any ideas and comments are always appreciated…
I just found the link
How much do you think it will cost, I’d buy one when I get some cash.
I figured I’d just keep it the way it is until i have a working 100% prototype. I have a gameport to USB converter I am using, so I am half USB at the moment, but to go native 100% USB, I’d have to make a custom micro controller, and if I knew how to do that, I’d make a unit that would be self contained like the Nova Dreamer…
