To Sleep, Perchance to Dream...

I've been finding myself more and more interested in the world of dreams lately. There are, of course, some interesting viewpoints when it comes to what dreams mean, how they occur, and why they occur. Of course, that's not our particular topic of discussion, since this is an article about technology as it applies to entertainment. So what, you say, could this have to do with my assigned topic?

Give me a minute... I'll come up with something....

Actually, much of the current research into human dreaming is eventually going to make its way into the consumer electronics market, if it hasn't already to some extent.

How is this, you ask? Well, much of the current research into dreams, such as brainwave studies, REM sleep studies, and even some more spiritual studies, are giving us a rare glimpse into the inner-workings of the human mind. A very complex and confusing place, to say the least.

However, these tiny steps towards better understanding the immense puzzle that lives inside our own heads are leading to some interesting advances in the field of technology.

Many of you, I'm sure, remember the Virtual Reality frenzy that enveloped the nation during the late 1980's and early 90's. Every mall had a space age VR machine in its plaza, boasting the most realistic and intense gaming experience. Hollywood jumped on the bandwagon with movies such as Lawnmower Man, Tron, and Johnny Mnemonic, which often pointed to the inherent evils contained in a virtual world without limits.

Unfortunately this Virtual World was never fully realized, and the equipment needed to step into what did exist was cumbersome and uncomfortable, and only Bill Gates could afford it. Unfortunately Bill Gates wasn't much into playing VR games, so what little industry there was quickly faltered and expired.

Flash forward ten years. Video game technology is being advanced at a dizzying rate, and entertainment is much more engrained in the minds of people all over the world. Unfortunately, despite many advances in the world of miniaturization, the Virtual Reality that was promised long ago is still simply a figment of imagination for a few aspiring entrepreneurs. But wait, what is this? Maybe there is a different way...

A few daring dreamers (pardon the pun) have begun to imagine a different form of Virtual Reality. Rather than wearing bulky gloves and goggles, with wires draping from everywhere, they have envisioned a Virtual Reality within the human mind itself.

Science has long been aware of the immense powers locked up in the human mind. Many theorize that the majority of humans use only 10% of their brain, using the other 90% to try and figure out who will be the last one standing in Survivor. Actually, if this is even half true, then there is some immense potential not yet being realized, and although we have no idea what else our brains might be capable of, there are more than a few who imagine it could be used to entertain us even more.

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