Headband

Dreams are the images, ideas, emotions, and sensation that occur in the mind during sleep. Sleep has 2 phases REM and the Non REM stage of sleep; dreams appear in the REM stage of sleep that is the Rapid Eye Movement. Scientists propound that during this period the brain activity is high and is similar to being awake. This has earned the name due to continuous movement of the eyes during sleep. People dream during the non REM stage of sleep also but they are not remembered. Most dreams last for 5 to 20 minutes, though in rare cases longer dream is also noted. Dreams are associated with the REM stage of sleep as during this phase the EEG ( Electroencephalogram ) , the graph to show brain activity, shows that brain activity is most like that in wakefulness. However the part of brain responsible for logic and planning is not active, so in dreams the people actively interact without thinking.

The headband - Aurora

Andrew Smiley is a cofounder of iWinks, makers of the wearable headband that is supposed to facilitate dreams. The headband is the device that is strapped to the forehead. As the person sleep, the device tracks the brain’s electrencephalography ( EEG ) signals , tracking the brain activity. The voltage fluctuations resulting from the current flow within the cells of the brain, are detected by the device to track different stages of sleep cycle. This device is also equipped with the machine that helps to distinguish between sleep patterns. The accelerometer shows the light sleep and awake state. Most dreams occur during the REM sleep, this is the time the wearable jumps into action, prompting dreamers with LED lights and the subtle audio clips from smartphone, making them aware of the dreaming without waking them , so that they can control the dreams. This wearable headband is termed as Aurora.

Aurora is controlled by iOS, Android and the desktop apps . The user can customize the audiovisual feedback experienced while wearing Aurora. Those afraid of waking up early can set the device to hold off the stimuli till 8 hours or restrict to only audio or only visual cues.

The company however has given a caution note saying that not everyone can experience lucid dreams in one go, it may need practice, for subjecting to stimuli in waking life and associates the same to dreams.

There are similar wearable device also known, like the Remee sleep mask.