# Recording dreams by way of VHS **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 13, 2000, 8:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recording-dreams-by-way-of-vhs/7200 "2000-02-13T08:50:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jas69tho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8edcca/32.png) [@jas69tho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jas69tho)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2000, 8:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recording-dreams-by-way-of-vhs/7200/1 "2000-02-13T08:50:00Z")
Ok, so if you’re dreaming and see pictures, could you be able to record them. Like if your brain puts pictures on the back of your retiena for you to see, shouldn’t be able to record them. Or would it be easier if i just went and sought psyciatric help instead? * * * if cows laugh, does milk come out their nose? ---
**Author:** ![NickyLarson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b2d939/32.png) [@NickyLarson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NickyLarson)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2000, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recording-dreams-by-way-of-vhs/7200/2 "2000-02-14T06:42:00Z")
Psychiatric help, probably. Spelling help, definitly. Sleep, positively. (And just how would you wire it up, anyway? ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2000, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recording-dreams-by-way-of-vhs/7200/3 "2000-02-13T19:00:00Z")
## I know you’re kidding, jas69tho, but this kind of interesting. I saw a documentary on PBS where researchers determined that only the brain, not the optic nerves, were involved in hallucinations. Peace, mangeorge I only know two things; I know what I need to know And I know what I want to know Mangeorge, 2000 ---
**Author:** ![douglips](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@douglips](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/douglips)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2000, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recording-dreams-by-way-of-vhs/7200/4 "2000-02-13T20:29:00Z")
It may someday be possible to record the nerve activity in a persons visual cortex and computer generate an approximation of the images seen. This would probably need to be calibrated on a per-user basis, as all of us have different brain development. For example, you’d sit in a chair and watch as different test patterns are shown to you, and your brain’s reaction would be recorded. Then, while sleeping, you could record the brain’s activity and reverse-engineer what the associated images might be. Highly speculative, but very cool. ---
**Author:** ![mrblue92](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@mrblue92](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mrblue92)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2000, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recording-dreams-by-way-of-vhs/7200/5 "2000-02-14T17:31:00Z")
There was a recent experiment where researchers wired electrodes into a cat’s brain and used a computer program to decode the images. The pictures were not particularly good, but nevertheless you could tell what the cat was looking at. Presumably with more electrodes, the image would be clearer. I don’t know where they wired into the brain, but theoretically if you found the right part, you should be able to do the same thing with dreams. ---
**Author:** ![mrblue92](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@mrblue92](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mrblue92)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2000, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recording-dreams-by-way-of-vhs/7200/6 "2000-02-14T17:32:00Z")
There’s no way I’m letting these guys near **my** skull, though. ---
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2000, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recording-dreams-by-way-of-vhs/7200/7 "2000-02-14T17:59:00Z")
I bet this technology is not entirely out of reach. After seeing on TV documentaries how brainwaves of paraplegics can be “harnessed” to control servo motors, etc., it might just be feasible to take this concept just a little bit further. Wouldn’t that be interesting? 🆒 * * * It’s dark, and we’re wearing sunglasses - Blues Bros. ---
**Author:** ![RM\_Mentock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e274bd/32.png) [@RM\_Mentock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RM_Mentock)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2000, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recording-dreams-by-way-of-vhs/7200/8 "2000-02-15T06:46:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by mrblue92: > **There’s no way I’m letting these guys near my skull, though.** No problem. They don’t even have to touch the skull. I understand that these sort of recordings have been successful. They simply insert the video lens into the rectum, and turn it on three hours after the subject falls asleep. They record REM. \----------------   rocks\ ---
**Author:** ![Cooper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/50afbb/32.png) [@Cooper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cooper)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2000, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recording-dreams-by-way-of-vhs/7200/9 "2000-02-14T19:19:00Z")
> [@](#): > > They simply insert the video lens into the rectum, and turn it on three hours after the subject falls asleep. They record REM. No offense - but is there anyway you could clarify just what the hell it is you are talking about anyway? Recording rapid-eye-movement with an anal probe? ---
**Author:** ![mrblue92](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@mrblue92](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mrblue92)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2000, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recording-dreams-by-way-of-vhs/7200/10 "2000-02-14T19:37:00Z")
> [@](#): > > They simply insert the video lens into the rectum… Mentock: Then why don’t you stick it up your… ahem… Sorry; gut reaction. No, I’m not kidding about the cat; it was very real. (I’ll look for a web page…) I’m not sure if they opened the cat’s skull or not, though. Besides, I’m not really interested in having someone read my thoughts. ---
**Author:** ![mrblue92](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@mrblue92](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mrblue92)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2000, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recording-dreams-by-way-of-vhs/7200/11 "2000-02-14T20:05:00Z")
As promised, an article from BBC: [http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/sci/tech/newsid\_471000/471786.stm](http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/sci/tech/newsid_471000/471786.stm) Hopefully they don’t clean their archives up in the near future…