Reproduction of Dreams Dream as an interpersonal communication method

Mert Akbal, 2014Academy of Fine Arts Saar, GermanyGlobal Digital Monozukuri Team

* image: Mert Akbal, “2014 02 17 Teleporting People on Touch Surface”, Digital Illustration of a dream scene, 2014

Microphone <> SpeakerCamera <> MonitorEar <> Vocal TractEye <> ?

Most of the human communication happens through language. Language is spoken using the vocal-audio tract consisting of ear and vocal tract

● Spoken Language = Two way biological communication with sounds.

● Written Language = Visualisation of spoken language in abstract form

Visual System by humans and other mammals is a:● one way communication: Seeing.● Eyes are only for perception. ● Mammals have no organ for visual expression. ● Mammals have no biological monitor organ.● Cephalopods do have a visual expression organ:

chromathophore cells on their skin.

● Humans use different artistic tools for visualization.○ Sketching○ Photography○ Sculpting○ Computer Generated Imagery

That means?● Art is a prosthesis for our missing visual expression

organ.

However...- Humans have the ability of visual thinking.- Art is the expression of visual thinking.

What happens in brain during dream?

● Visuo-spatial thinking is mainly a right brain activity.● Dream is a brain activity originating when different

awake parts of the brain work together as other parts are asleep.

● In REM sleep (Dream) the right brain is active when left brain sleeps.

● In dream the mind produces vivid visual and spatial images based on emotional activity.

● Many researchers also identify REM sleep with learning and memory rehearsal.

-- “Biological and adaptive function of dreams is the simulation of threatening events with the intent of improving the subjects capability to perceive and avoid diverse threats in the waking state.”Antti Revonsuo, “Threat Simulation Theory”, (2000)

● Dream is a method of mind for visual thinking, problem solving and threat simulation?

● Dream is an intrapersonal visual communication organ.

What if the visuo-spatial thinking and communication methods of dreams could be used not only for intrapersonal communication but also for interpersonal communication?

Senoi Dream Theory:Dream as an Interpersonal Communication Method

Solving problems through discussing about the dream content.“...according to Senoi Dream Theory, dreams can be shared and shaped in groups in a positive and supportive fashion for the benefit of everyone, not just specific individuals with problems. 1. Always confront and conquer danger in dreams. If an animal looms out of the jungle, go toward it. If someone attacks you, fight back.2. Always move toward pleasurable experiences in dreams. If you are attracted to someone in a dream, feel free to turn the attraction into a full sexual experience. If you are enjoying the pleasurable sensations of flying or swimming, relax and experience them fully.3. Always make your dreams have a positive outcome and extract a creative product from them. Best of all in this regard, try to obtain a gift from the dream images, such as a poem, a song, a dance, a design, or a painting.”

G. William Domhoff, “Senoi Dream Theory: Myth, Scientific Method, and the Dreamwork Movement” (2003)

An efficient method to reproduce the dream in waking life and research about that could help to improve the current the communication tools and develop new ones.

Dreams are...

● multifaceted, multimodal, hallucinatory subjective experiences.

● visiospatial.● emotional triggered (amygdala).● metaphorical, contextual, holistic. ● processes central aspects & essence.● synthetic, forming the whole.● imaginative, intuitive, impulsive.

Automatic Reproduction of Dream

Current research on recording and reproduction of visual perception in brain is based on decoding visual perception from human brain activity with fMRI scan and machine learning-analysis.

● ATR Institute, Japan, Dr. Yukiyasu Kamitani http://youtu.be/IV-Q51P-WZwhttp://www.neuroinformatics2010.org/speakers/yukiyasu-kamitani

● UC Berkley, Psychology Professor Jack Gallant http://vimeo.com/m/38585205http://neuroscience.berkeley.edu/users/users_profile.php?id=12

Manual Reproduction of Dream

In addition to automatic reproduction a manual reproduction using artistic tools is possible.

The use of artistic methods resembles the role of painting as a documentation tool before the invention of photography.

Methods to Manually Reproduce Dreams

● Writing dream diary and keeping a narrative record of the dream events from first person perspective.

● Sketching the dream scene as a graphic novel.● Building computer generated 3D Models of visio-spatial content.● Making an animation or a video which replicates the narration in dream.● Making a immersive computer simulation of the dream scene.● Reproduction of other senses for full immersion: movement,

proprioception, sound, smell, taste, haptics.● Combining all possible senses and narration as a virtual reality

simulation.

Using Digital Interactivity to Reproduce Dreams

It is also possible to add interaction to the dream to reproduce different phenomena which are unique to dream reality.

● Non-linear narration.● Holistic scene.● Metaphors.● Interchanging objects and persons.● The special case of “lucid dreams”. A lucid dream is when one is aware

that he/she is dreaming and eventually can also take control of the dream consciously.

Comparing Virtual Reality and Lucid Dreams

The ongoing development of virtual reality is a struggle to catch up the perfection of lucid dreams, where he user should be able to do anything he desires, create and design anything he wishes and experience it freely.

“Lucid dreaming is a naturally occurring "virtual" reality.”

Dr.Jayne Gackenbach, “Dream Imagery: A Call to Mental Arms”. Baywood Publishers (1991)

Example Dream Reproduction Works

Illustrations and Renderings To Reproduce the Dream Image

2012 11 03 Crystal Cutting Machine

2013 01 20 Buffalo and Monkey

2013 03 26 Antarctica and Embryo in Green Jelly.

Virtual Reality and Interactive InstallationsTo Reproduce the Dream Scene

Reproduction of Flight Dreams, Mert Akbal (2012): (Avian Flight Simulator)● Reproduction of Winged Dream Flight using arms as wings. ● http://vimeo.com/m/61423093● Interactive Installation where the player can experience a flight similar to those in dreams,

using his body. As the player flaps his arms in different positions, the first person view of the simulator gains height and accelerates forward. As the player leans his torso forward and backward or turns his arms left and right, the view rotates.

● As an example dream scene one of my flight dreams was reproduced. ● Exhibited in 4 cities (Stuttgart, Istanbul, Bern, Saarbruecken) and used by over 200 people.

Over 60 of them participated in a self rated survey.

Reproduction of Flight Dreams, Mert Akbal (2012):(Survey)● Survey with over 60 people about flight dreams and rate their ability

to control the flight simulator.● People who have at least one winged flight dream in their life were

also more successful controlling the simulator.● During the work and exhibition of the flight simulator I had frequently

flight dreams. ● More research needed.

Reproduction of Polymorph Dream Content , Mert Akbal (2014):● Virtual reality glasses were used to set the user into a dream scene. The

scene had a interchanging element i.e. a stone which was at the same time a crab and a turtle.

● Reproduction of dream scene objects in an immersive virtual reality environment with gyroscope, compass and stereoscopic glasses.

● Different shapes blending into each other depending on focus of viewer thereby suggesting a simultaneity and uncertainty similar to those in dreams.

Mert Akbal 2014Thank you for our attention.

info@mertakbal.comwww.mertakbal.com

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