A new startup named Prophetic is developing a device designed to control and utilize dreams for professional benefits.
The American company Prophetic, founded in March last year, has created a head-mounted device called Halo that can induce lucid dreaming. This state occurs when individuals become aware that they are dreaming and can control the content of their dreams. According to Prophetic, Halo can turn dreams into a virtual workspace where individuals can do anything they desire. Whether they are executives, athletes, or web designers, they can use their dreams to practice, create, or explore new abilities, as reported by Interesting Engineering on December 1. The founder and CEO of Prophetic, Eric Wollberg, stated that the only limitation is imagination.
Design of the Halo device. (Photo: Prophetic).
Halo is not the first device to stimulate lucid dreaming. Many other products promise to help achieve that clarity. However, Prophetic emphasizes that their device operates differently and more effectively by using focused ultrasound beams to stimulate a specific brain region associated with lucid dreaming. The ultrasound activates areas of the brain responsible for decision-making and awareness, thereby enhancing clarity.
Prophetic is collaborating with Afshin Mehin, founder of Card79 and designer of the Neuralink N1 device for Elon Musk’s brain implant company, to develop Halo. According to them, the potential of lucid dreaming lies not only in solving specific problems but also in discovering innovative approaches to topics one cannot think of while awake. For instance, a mathematician might not find the precise answer to a math problem in their dreams but could uncover a new method later.
However, not everyone is convinced by Prophetic’s claims. Antonio Zadra, a psychology professor at the University of Montreal and an expert on sleep and dreaming, stated that inducing lucid dreams is not simple. Many people who experience lucid dreams often forget they are dreaming or wake up too early. Zadra emphasized that controlling dreams is even more challenging, requiring much practice and skill. He suggests that individuals use other techniques, such as meditation, to enhance their ability to control dreams.
Wollberg responded to skepticism by citing numerous studies on the correlation between the level of activation in the prefrontal cortex and the ability to control dreams. He believes that the more stimulation provided, the better users can achieve their goals.
Prophetic’s product is based on research conducted by the Donders Institute, a brain research center in the Netherlands. From the institute’s research, Prophetic has identified the specific brain areas to target and the frequency of ultrasound waves to stimulate lucid dreaming. The company hopes to obtain this data by spring 2024 and deliver the device by spring 2025. Wollberg did not disclose how many people have signed up to place orders but mentioned that in the first few weeks after the company opened its order system, revenues reached several hundred thousand USD.
