In the silence of the night, while the world sleeps, our brains create entire universes, sometimes “predicting” the future. Stories, images, sensations that vanish upon awakening, leaving only confused fragments. Or at least, that's how it has been until now. A surreal piece of news emerges today from the laboratories of Neuraltech AG of Geneva: a device called “SomniVision” would be able to capture dreams in real time and turn them into viewable videos. A simple headband to wear before bed, connected to an app on your phone, and in the morning there is the film of your night served. Swiss scientists say the technology is based on an advanced interpretation of brain waves through neuromimetic artificial intelligence. But are we really ready to open this door? To make visible what has always been the most private of our spaces?
The technology that reads our dreams
The device developed by the Swiss company works thanks to ultra-thin sensors that detect the electrical activity of the brain during the REM phase. These signals are then processed by the inevitable artificial intelligence algorithm that translates brain waves into images, reconstructing scenes and faces with a precision that to call disturbing is an understatement.
The research team, led by Dr. Marcus Heidegger, says that the technology achieved 78% accuracy in reproducing visual elements corresponding to what the test subjects reported upon waking up. Not perfect, sometimes influenced (in their own words) “by dinner the night before”, but sufficient to recognize people, places and situations that populate our dreams. I wonder if it would not have been better to leave this door closed. Dreams are the last truly private space left to human beings; now that even this sanctuary has been violated by algorithms, I have no trouble believing that someone will sooner or later he'll even put advertising in there.
Surreal news, real implications
The concerns raised by this technology are numerous and profound. The European Society of Neuroethics has already called for a moratorium on commercial use of SomniVision, citing unprecedented privacy concerns.
Think about it: who would own our dreams? The company that records them? Ourselves? And what would happen if this data were hacked or sold to third parties? Our deepest desires, our most intimate fears, everything could become commodities. Even more disturbing: could technology be used without our consent? Could a jealous partner monitor our dreams while we sleep?
Dream future or dystopia?
Despite the doubts, the waiting list to test SomniVision already numbers thousands of people. Neuraltech AG plans to launch a consumer version by the end of the year, priced at around 600 euros.
Enthusiasts see therapeutic applications: helping those with recurring nightmares, studying sleep disorders, even exploring dream creativity for artists and creatives. Some psychologists suggest it could revolutionize therapy, offering direct access to the great sea of the unconscious. But questions remain more than answers. What will happen when the boundaries between the conscious and the unconscious become permeable? When our dreams become as public as our social media posts?
Perhaps, as in every good episode of Black Mirror, the real question is not whether we can, but whether we should. In the meantime, let's enjoy these last moments in which closing our eyes still means entering a world that is only ours. Because soon, from a surreal piece of news, we could wake up in a reality where even dreams have spectators.
