AI startup Prophetic is aiming to revolutionize the way people sleep with a unique headband device called the Halo, which has the potential to initiate and control lucid dreams, typically associated with REM sleep. Lucid dreams are dreams in which the dreamer is conscious of the fact that they are dreaming, sometimes having control over elements within the dream. This innovative company is diligently working on a prototype that they plan to unveil by the end of November.
The Halo operates by engaging with the prefrontal cortex of the brain, where self-aware lucid dreams originate. It achieves this by detecting when users enter the dream state and subsequently trying to induce a lucid state using pulsing ultrasound waves. Additionally, the device claims to have the capacity to stabilize ongoing lucid dreams, although specific details regarding the stabilization process remain undisclosed.
Following a successful $1.1 million funding round earlier this year, Prophetic forged a partnership with Card79, the company responsible for constructing hardware for Elon Musk’s Neuralink. The prototype is currently in its early stages, and Prophetic intends to showcase a semi-finished version in late October or early November. The fully refined prototype will only be revealed after a year-long study on brain imaging is conducted in collaboration with the Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behavior in the Netherlands.
Prophetic envisions the Halo as a tool that could help unlock answers to some of life’s most profound questions. While the company plans to begin shipping the Halo in the spring of 2025, it is currently accepting $100 deposits over a year in advance for individuals who wish to reserve their headsets. It is important for customers to note that the connection between lucid dreams and consciousness remains largely theoretical. Prophetic acknowledges in a recent blog post that “the idea of using lucid dreams to unlock our understanding of consciousness is elegant in theory, but it has been challenging to realize in practice.”
Prophetic attributes this challenge to the fact that lucid dreams are often spontaneous. Despite the company’s pioneering efforts, the practical consequences of externally triggered lucid dreaming are still uncertain. While Prophetic aims to usher in a new era of scientific study, it is imperative to consider potential side effects that may arise alongside the groundbreaking possibilities it presents.
By Impact Lab