Michael Persinger built a device that stimulates the brain with electromagnetic waves. He claims the machine, generally known as the “god helmet,” can induce religious experiences. His experiments have never been successfully replicated, but a group is trying to build an open source DIY god helmet:
The project is in a very early alpha stage. Some of the current goals for the project include:
-Create a workable and easy to build hardware design to allow experimentation similar to that done by Dr. Persinger.
-Develop firmware for any integrated controllers
-Develop software that facilitates controlled application of TMS or rTMS utilizing the hardware
-Software integration with openEEG and Sbagen for a rich experimental environment
Update: There still hasn’t been a release, but it looks it’s still under active development as of March 2013.
See also: The Next God Helmet? Zap Your Brain for Insight
(Photo Credit: h.koppdelaney’s / CC)
March 5, 2010 at 10:32 pm
The “God Helmet” is not TMS. TMS uses ‘trains’ for it’s signals, and the “God Helmet” uses EEG traces derived from deep brain structures. The field strength is also very different. TMS uses static magnetic fields, and the “God Helmet” does not. This sounds like an open-source TMS project. Do more homework. There are commercially available versions of Persinger’s technologies, but these are not open-source.
March 5, 2010 at 10:40 pm
TRM
“This sounds like an open-source TMS project.”
That’s probably why it’s called “Open-rTMS Project.”
“The ‘God Helmet’ uses EEG traces derived from deep brain structures.”
The Open-rTMS Project claims only to be working on research similar to Persinger’s, and plans to integrate with openEEG.
“There are commercially available versions of Persinger’s technologies, but these are not open-source.”
Yep, and one of them is linked to from the Open-rTMS Project web site.
“Do more homework.”
Read before you comment.
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