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Virtual reality gaming system tests for telepathy

Scientists at The University of Manchester have created a virtual computer world designed to test telepathic ability.

The system, which immerses an individual in what looks like a life-size computer game, has been created as part of a joint project between The University’s School of Computer Science and School of Psychological Sciences.

Approximately 100 participants will take part in the experiment which aims to test whether telepathy exists between individuals using the system. The project will also look at how telepathic abilities may vary depending on the relationships which exist between participants.

The test is carried out using two volunteers who could be friends, work colleagues or family. They are placed in separate rooms on different floors of the same building to eliminate any possibility of communication.

Participants enter the virtual environment by donning a head-mounted 3D display and an electronic glove which they use to navigate their way through the computer generated world.

Once inside participants view a random selection of computer-generated objects. These include a telephone, a football and an umbrella. The person in the first room sees one object at a time, which they are asked to concentrate on and interact with.

The person in the other room is simultaneously presented with the same object plus three decoy objects. They are then asked to select the object they believe the other participant is trying to transmit to them.

The system was designed by Dr Craig Murray of the School of Psychological Sciences, and implemented by Toby Howard and Dr Fabrice Caillette, from the School of Computer Science.

Dr Toby Howard said: “This system has been designed to overcome the many pitfalls evident in previous studies which could easily be manipulated by participants to produce an effect which looks like telepathy but is not.

“By creating a virtual environment we are creating a completely objective environment which makes it impossible for participants to leave signals or even unconscious clues as to which object they have chosen.”

The system has been designed to make the task as realistic as possible. In addition to selecting objects and hearing the sounds they make, participants are able to hold and move them within the virtual environment.

Project researcher David Wilde, of the School of Psychological Sciences, said: “By using this technology we aim to provide the most objective study of telepathy to date. Our aim is not to prove or disprove its existence but to create an experimental method which stands up to scientific scrutiny.”

The results of the experiment are expected to be published early in 2007.




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52 thoughts on “Virtual reality gaming system tests for telepathy”

  1. Define the Castle of which you need help with.
    I memorized every thing in the game I can help.

  2. I think its just stupid to call anything like this stupid.

    People decried internet as stupidity in 1970
    The idea of yoga was stupidity in 1960’s
    People decried idea of a computing machine was stupidity in 1930
    People decried idea of flying as stupidity in 1910’s
    The idea that earth moves around sun was stupidity at time of Galilieo
    The idea that earth is round was equally stupid “can’t you just see that it is flat”, said the idiots.

    “All truths are easy to understand once they are discovered; the point is to discover them.” – Galileo Galilei

    What we can hear and see is not even 1% of the entire wavelength spectrum, and it is just being ignorant to ridicule anything that falls outside that range.

    Anyhow I don’t think i am wise enough to really convince those out there but this guy had been the most intelligent guy we ever had –

    Albert Einstein quote “We still do not know one thousandth of one percent of what nature has revealed to us.”

  3. I can give ANYONE 100% proof that I have mentall telepathy to the point where if you look at me and think anything I can honestly tell you EXACTLY what you thought! If anyones up for the challenge, or if anyone wants to see TRUE proof of mentall telepathy and you happen to be in upstate N.Y. write me at [email protected] I promise you wont believe your eyes!

  4. Quote: Reality is very specific to the person who perceives it.

    Absolutely correct! This doesn’t mean that what someone perceives as reality is actually real though, does it? Have you ever heard of mental illness? Some people believe the dead talk to them…….some people believe they are Elvis too! I do get the point, thanks.

  5. Nature works so perfectly that it respects everyone free will. It is not about proving or desproving something. It’s all about subjective experience. Reality is very specific to the person who perceives it.

  6. i can also c ghosts.,…..once after my maw maw died…i saw her ghost in my kitchen…i freaked out tho o.o i got it from my great grandma….

  7. Soundthinker

    If your mother really has passed away then I’m sorry to hear that BUT, I’ll never really know will I?!? I’ll have to take your word for it! Just like reading other people’s experiences in a book.

    With regards to your Venus analogy:

    I’m confused, what are you talking about?: Are you saying you hear spirit voices but you don’t know what they are saying? Eh? Now you’ve made yaself look really stupid!!!! If you can understand what they are saying then you shouldn’t have any difficulty answering my questions! You STILL haven’t answered my questions yet so this tells me & others who maybe reading this what? You can’t answer the questions maybe? You’re not making any sense?!? Maybe the spirit world really does exist & you’re just a poor representative of it? Class this as an insult if you like but I’m asking you perfectly logical questions that you refuse to answer so I can only assume you are trying to insult my intelligence? Are you?

    So I’ll ask again: (completely pointless because you will not say anything logical or convincing):

    What do these voices say to you? (If you can understand what they are saying of course ha!) What do they want? What is the point of contacting you in the way you say? Answer the questions without telling me to read other peoples so called factual accounts of things!

    DC.

  8. FACTS…. WHAT FACTS?
    pitbull Says:

    Soundthinker……Can you answer something for me please:

    What is the point of it all? What are these voices trying to prove? Do they want the living to know they exist?

    ……yes

    If they do then why not show them selves & be done with it!

    ……but what if a creature from Venus wanted to show himself to you but his molecules spun the opposite direction to ours, so he was “out of phase” with our universe (as one hypothetical example), then it wouldn’t be an easy thing to chat with us would it?

    If they don’t then I’d say they will not be very happy with someone like you

    ……another implied insult, great thanks for that. “like you” indeed.

    going around telling everyone of their existence! Neither side seems to benefit…….So the point is what?

    ……..the point is, when somebody dies (like my mother did yesterday – and that IS fact – not made up for dramatic effect), if she has had a near death experience and seen the “other side” (which she has had – some years ago), then she has no fear of death. For me that’s reason enough.

    You keep going on about the FACTS?! There are no facts involved here at all! Just because someone writes something that agrees with what you believe DOES NOT make it fact!

    ……..You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him THINK. The book I constantly refer to (as I have explained about 5 times now), is a painstaking account of how an extraordinary set of photos were obtained. It IS NOT a first hand narrative of “gosh aren’t I clever – then I did this…” You will NEVER get off your butt and look at this remarkable text obviously, so just keep on putting it down from a position of complete ignorance – go ahead – you seem happiest there.

    Psychic Phenomenon is STILL an unexplained phenomenon the last time I looked? If Jack Webber writes the FACTS then it wouldn’t be an unexplained phenomenon anymore & we wouldn’t be having this discussion would we!

    ………your attention to detail is not great is it? The book was written by Harry Edwards, ABOUT Jack Webber – as I’ve stated many times. You obviously haven’t even had a quick google to check out the facts before you try and shoot my proposition down. Not good science.

    Personally I take anything I read with regards to unexplained phenomenon with a pinch of salt simply because these people want gullible people like you to buy their books!

    ………ah yet another insult. (not quite as subtle this time). When ever your “logic” fails you – you fall straight back to personal attacks. Time to grow up a bit and learn to have an open discussion armed with the facts don’t you think?

    They are laughing all the way to the bank! Still again, you know best…

    ………ah yet another insult. What a surprise. Well the book was first written in 1940, the author is dead, and I bought my copy second hand, so nobody is laughing to any bank.

    ………you’re not even mildly curious to look at this particular book are you? Not even a little bit. I find closed minded people fascinating, but boring. Goodbye.

    …….P.S. have you tried coal tar soap for the psoriasis? Very scabby isn’t it?

    SOUNDTHINKER

    “you’re just jealous coz you can’t hear the voices”

  9. Soundthinker……Can you answer something for me please:

    What is the point of it all? What are these voices trying to prove? Do they want the living to know they exist? If they do then why not show them selves & be done with it! If they don’t then I’d say they will not be very happy with someone like you going around telling everyone of their existence! Neither side seems to benefit…….So the point is what?

    You keep going on about the FACTS?! There are no facts involved here at all! Just because someone writes something that agrees with what you believe DOES NOT make it fact! Psychic Phenomenon is STILL an unexplained phenomenon the last time I looked? If Jack Webber writes the FACTS then it wouldn’t be an unexplained phenomenon anymore & we wouldn’t be having this discussion would we!
    Personally I take anything I read with regards to unexplained phenomenon with a pinch of salt simply because these people want gullible people like you to buy their books! They are laughing all the way to the bank! Still again, you know best…

    PS: How am I supposed to know it’s a family saying? No disrespect meant

    Peace.

    DC.

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