Binaural Beats
Binaural Beats are an auditory form of brainwave entrainment. When two signals are sent, one to each ear, and the signals differ by thirty hertz or less, the frequency follow response is evoked. It is important that the signals are identical except for this desired entrainment frequency, and nominally headphones are used.
Discovered in the 1800's by a meteorologist named Heinrich Wilhelm Dove, the difference in signals affects the brainstem's superior olivary nucleus, the site of contralateral integration of auditory input.
We are constantly bombarded by virtually random differences in signals throughout a normal day, but it is the filtered precision of a properly prepared signal that produces a noticeable effect.
There are several oppurtunities in perception augmentation for binaural beat technology. The difficulty arise in incorperating the necessary filtered precision into a multisensory experience.
Binural Beats have been used for many years in attempts to create recreational stimulations. Some entrepenuers are marketing thier encoded audio programs as the first Digital Drug. Without futher inovation the current techniques will not exceed a Class III effect.
Mental rehab and enhancement is the primary area that binaural beats are currently utilized. Everything from basic meditation to improved learning techniques tought binaural beats as the end all development. One of the most successful would have to be the brain hemisphere syncronization trademarked encoding format Hemi-Sync.
Biofeedback
Biofeedback is centered around the concept that we have the ability to influence automatic functions of the human body with conscious will. A person can be trained to control the temperature of one hand without movement or muscle contraction, and without affecting the temperature in the rest of the body.
By using electric devices to make a person consciously aware of previously unknown parameters, such as hand temperature, blood pressure, or brain waves, a person can control said parameters.
This process has been repeatedly proven with strenuous scientific means.
Biofeedback is one of the most powerful techniques for control supplementation. Gaining conscious control of areas of the brain and body not previously accessible is the definition of control supplementation.
This is an exciting area for biofeedback that has barely been discussed. Theoretically one could train oneself to consciously activate pleasure centers of the brain directly.
Biofeedback, as with many techniques, was initially developed for this area. Treating patients to control their blood pressure, or learning to meditate at more relaxed brain states, has been very effective.
Brainwave Entrainment
Brainwave entrainment is the process by which the dominant brainwaves of a subject are induced to a desired frequency. Termed "frequency-following response" in the scientific literature, the process is relatively easy to accomplish and often occurs naturally. Certain types of music and many natural sounds of nature randomly accomplish this task.
Binaural beats, light machine and the BrainWave Generator are all trying to induce brainwave entrainment.
In Mega Brain, Michael Hutchison discusses the thought that the rhythmic drum beats and dancing around a flickering bonfire, popular in many ancient rituals, was an attempt to induce this phenomenon.
Brainwave entrainment certainly has a role to play in perception augmentation. General state of mind, as reflected in dominant brainwaves, influences perception to a significant degree. Also, the transition between states can be harnessed to elicit desired associations with other simultaneously presented stimulus.
Brainwave entrainment can be very valuable in recreational stimulation. Normal utilization of entrainment can be enjoyable in itself, but current research into the transition between frequencies has to most potential for significant effects.
You will often find literature using brainwave entrainment to fix or to improve overall mental state.
Wireheading
In the 1950s, H. R. Delgado at Yale University, and James Olds at McGill University, studied the effects on behavior that implanted electrodes have on rats. In one well known experiment, when given the choice between a lever that gave the rat food, and a lever that stimulated the pleasure center of the rats brain, the rat choose the electric stimulation to the point of death.
This concept of direct stimulation of the pleasure centers of the brain have been carried over to humans is science fiction. Most recognizable in Larry Niven’s The Ringworld Engineers published in the 1980’s.
Wireheading is an invasive procedure that requires that a hole is drilled in the skull. In addition, the pleasure ‘center’ of the brain is surrounded by many other important functional areas that might not react well to a wire poking through them.
Theoretically any part of the brain could be wired too, thus eliciting any type of perception augmentation or control supplementation that you could imagine.
This would be the most severe and significant form of recreational electromagnetic neural stimulation.
Enhancement, the concept of human augmentation comes to mind.
