Dream Tech: Designing The Gateway to Infinity
Dream tech — devices and applications that directly interface with our dreams at night — is just around the corner. Recent advancements in neurotechnology are making it possible not only to peer into the dreaming brain but also to influence it. As scientists and technologists push past the boundary of consciousness, profound questions arise. Is the most mysterious human frontier now fair game for technological intervention? Join us for an overview of the nascent industry and research around dream tech
Workshop Time and Date: 7 p.m.-8:30 p.m. CST; Tuesday, August 18
Workshop Lead: Courtney Sheehan ’11 and Laurie Polisky ’15
Meet Courtney Sheehan ’11 and Laurie Polisky ’15
We come from backgrounds in neuroscience, filmmaking, and dream research. We initially met when Laurie interned with Courtney's organization, Northwest Film Forum, on a summer intern grant from Grinnell. Years later, we reconnected over our shared passion for dream science and are developing a project about the emergence of dream neurotech: technology that interfaces directly with the dreaming mind. Laurie is a filmmaker and neuroscience researcher working at the intersection of science and film. Her Grinnell thesis on the neuroscience of lucid dreaming landed her a research position in the lab of the author of a hallmark study on lucid dreaming. Courtney has developed a comprehensive database of dream tech research that is regularly used as a reference and networking tool by scientists. She has made presentations about dream tech at the Interaction Design Conference in Milan and Northwest Film Forum in Seattle.
Thank you for your interest in this workshop. This workshop has now hit capacity. Please add your name to our
workshop waitlist. We will also use this information to gauge which of the workshops we should consider hosting again during future Alumni ExCo sessions.