Inter-Dream is a multi-sensory interactive artistic experience driven by neurofeedback. It is comprised of an interactive bed, ambient score, and dynamic visuals procedurally generated from EEG data fed back to the “dreamer” through VR and projection mapping.

Through studying the user experience of Inter-Dream, we explore the potential for interactive technology to promote mental states which typically come before a good night’s sleep. Results demonstrated: statistically significant decreases in pre-sleep cognitive arousal (p = .01), negative emotion (p = .008), and negative affect (p = .004). EEG readings were also indicative of restorative restfulness and cognitive stillness, while interview responses described experiences of mindfulness and playful self-exploration.

Our results highlight the potential of neurofeedback technologies to facilitate creative expression and playful exploration as a pathway for promoting healthy pre-sleep states.

Publications

Semertzidis, N., Sargeant, B., Dwyer, J., Mueller, F., Zambetta, F. Towards Understanding the Design of Positive Pre-sleep Through a Neurofeedback Artistic Experience. CHI 2019. Long paper. ACM. Video.

Awards

Inter-dream was a finalist in the Contemporary Arts Awards 2019.

Acknowledgements

This work is a collaborative effort with our creators in residence, Betty Sargeant and Justin Dwyer, who developed the original work and together form the collective PluginHuman. We also thank everyone who helped with the video and the development as well as the execution of the study.