A psychologist is asking iPhone owners to sleep with their iPhones on the bed in a test to see if sounds can influence dreams.
Suggesting that the Jesus mobe owners might like to take part in a mass psychological experiment, the app is designed and introduced by British psychologist Professor Richard Wiseman who also describes himself as an "author and performer". Wiseman says: "This app may provide a real breakthrough in changing how we dream, and record and track those dreams."
The idea is that users fire up the app before going to sleep, setting up an in-app alarm, and then doze off, leaving it sitting on the bed. The iPhone's gyroscope monitors the movement of the bed and when the sleeper has stilled, suggesting that they have gone into REM sleep, the phone starts playing the selected soundtrack.
The two "free" audio options for the prospective dreamer include: Into The City andPeaceful Garden. (So no making sweet love to Angelina Jolie soundscapes.) However, for 59p you can purchase a variety of other soundscapes or err "dreams": Ocean View, Space Shuttle or Relaxing Rainforest.
You are asked to plug in your iPhone before settling it on your bed, presumably the app is a bit of a battery-drainer.
It also creams off your location (if you allow it to) to allow the app-makers to take note of whether people in different places dream differently.
The experiment bit comes in the morning, when you are asked to send in a quick report of your dream to the app's dream bank, which the app encourages you to post on Twitter and on Facebook, tagging your friends in it.
Dream:ON is also a social experiment – in the morning Dream:ON presents you with a graph of your movement during the night, allows you to tag any of your friends who appeared in your dreams via Facebook (just like you would when you tag a picture) and invites you to post a short description of your dream to our experimental 'Dream Bank'. Creating the world's largest dream experiment [sic].
So even people who don't own iPhones can get dragged into this if they appear in the dreams of their fanboi friends. The site does warn: "If you should experience any unforseen [sic] or undesired effects, you should stop using Dream:ON."
