Scientists in Japan have created a device to record and play back your dreams
Published on Jul 15, 2025 at 9:53 AM (UTC-4)
by Daisy Edwards
Last updated on Jul 15, 2025 at 9:53 AM (UTC-4)
Edited by
Kate Bain
We don’t know whether to be nervous or excited about this, but scientists in Japan have created a device to record and play back your dreams.
Using volunteers, the scientists closely monitored people in the early stages of sleep and just as they entered deep REM sleep they were woken up and asked what they dreamed about.
Using AI, the scientists scanned the sleepers’ brain activity and then used Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) to capture the brain activity while sleeping.
Analyzing the brain scans, scientists found they could predict what people dreamt about by using an extremely detailed database of images linked to particular brain patterns.
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Record and play back your dreams
It is a type of technology straight out of Black Mirror, but scientists in Japan are able to work out what we’ve been dreaming about and tell us about it.
At the moment, it is still only in the testing phase, so the scientists can only predict what the volunteers have dreamed about 60-70 percent of the time.
So how exactly does it work?
Scientists closely monitor sleep volunteers while they are in their first stage of sleep, before they drop into fully REM sleep, because dreams only happen during light sleep.
As soon as the volunteer drops into REM sleep, they are (cruelly) woken up and asked to verbally recount what they dreamed about.
While all of this is going on, the scientists are using Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (FMRI) to capture brain activity, and then they match the brain patterns with a database of images.
And it works… 60-70 percent of the time.
Plans for the dream technology
According to a neuroscientist at the University of Oxford, ‘this research offers an exciting opportunity that brings us closer to the idea of machines that can decipher dreams’.
This exciting technology could tell us all the secrets of our dreams and help with the diagnosis of psychological disorders.
We want to see how the research handles all the best cheese dreams.
Daisy is a technology and automotive journalist covering artificial intelligence, consumer tech, Apple news, cryptocurrency, emerging technologies, and transportation innovation. Since joining the team in 2025, she has reported on everything from AI-powered startups and major iOS updates to viral car stories and the latest developments shaping transportation and the digital economy. Drawing on her background in automotive journalism and a degree in History and Journalism from Goldsmiths, University of London, Daisy specializes in breaking down complex topics into clear, engaging reporting for a global audience. Her work spans cutting-edge technology, innovative vehicles, and the people driving change across both industries. Daisy has gained first-hand access to some of the world's most talked-about technologies and innovators, including meeting Tesla's Optimus humanoid robot during its first European appearance in London. She has also discussed the future of space exploration with an astronaut, bringing unique insights and real-world perspectives to her coverage of emerging technology.
