Colin Ross, MD - has he applied?

[dbw]

Ridiculous... absolutely nothing paranormal about it. There are a thousand ways he could be signaling the computer, ranging from pseudo-paranormal (a la e-meter) to cheating (the hardware has a camera, the software makes the noise when he closes his eye) to REALLY cheating (it just makes the noise every few seconds).

I think he'll have to do better than "I can make my secret combination of hardware and software react while hooked up to a variety of sensors attached to my skin." I mean, I could do that too.

Plus the tinfoil and the "Danny isn't here" routine with his finger just SCREAM crackpot.

 

[GzuzKryzt]

Ridiculous... absolutely nothing paranormal about it. There are a thousand ways he could be signaling the computer, ranging from pseudo-paranormal (a la e-meter) to cheating (the hardware has a camera, the software makes the noise when he closes his eye) to REALLY cheating (it just makes the noise every few seconds).

I think he'll have to do better than "I can make my secret combination of hardware and software react while hooked up to a variety of sensors attached to my skin." I mean, I could do that too.

Plus the tinfoil and the "Danny isn't here" routine with his finger just SCREAM crackpot.

Let's assume for now cheating via software does not seem the cause for the phenomenon. This would easily get detected on a hardware check during the prelim.

I would like to hear his claim wording. Of course, I will not bug the JREF Staff with inquiries concerning applicants: I'd never do that.

 

[hopfen]

The first component he picked up appeared to be a computer microphone. He plugged that into a box containing other components and then into a computer running secret software. Apparently, only he could see the computer screen, to determine the timing of the sounds.

Yep, I'm convinced it's for real.

 

[dbw]

Frankly I'm very disappointed. I suspect he's not going to let anyone look at his hardware or software, which means game over. I was hoping this would be something cool... like he could sit on my couch, stare at my amp in the corner, and make it hum. Now that would be worth investigating, plus he'd be great at parties.

 

[volatile]

There are innumerable ways that is "mysterious" equipment could be rigged, plus the way he's defining paranormal as "things not allowed by science" is hopelessly wrong.

From the evidence in the video, the guy's either a fraud, a crackpot or both.

 

[Moochie]

There's a TED session that shows a severely incapacitated man playing a song using technology controlled with his eyes. The tech made it possible for him to write and perform the piece. There were no claims of paranormality involved -- it was the technology that made it possible for him to express his creativity.


M.

 

[IXP]

The possibilities for cheating here are so obvious, I can only believe that he is attempting to get as much media attention as possible, then come clean and point out how stupid they had all been.

IXP

 

[ObscureReferenceMan]

Welcome to the forum dpkpr!

 

[GzuzKryzt]

The possibilities for cheating here are so obvious, I can only believe that he is attempting to get as much media attention as possible, then come clean and point out how stupid they had all been.

IXP

I thought the same thing.

But then, wouldn't this likely constitute a net loss for him? He would get some short-term exposure.

Long-term, wouldn't he have some unflattering label attached to him?

I think the "Bad news is good news" only applies when one has something to sell or gain. Now, if he were to sell an appliance (Sniffex comes to mind) which would enable people to achieve the feat... It seems he doesn't.

Thoughts anyone?

 

[rjh01]

If all he wants is attention then he can spin this device for several years. Example Anyone heard about this dude? (pavelprorok on youtube) 14 months, 666 posts and counting and still no agreed protocol, let alone test.

 

[ohp]

There's a TED session that shows a severely incapacitated man playing a song using technology controlled with his eyes. The tech made it possible for him to write and perform the piece. There were no claims of paranormality involved -- it was the technology that made it possible for him to express his creativity.
M.

I've seen a number of technologies working with eye control:

1) A camera fixed to the head monitors the eyeball. The head is either fixed, or has a number of position sensors. By working out where the head is, and what orientation the eyeball is in, you can tell what it's looking at by using trigonometry.

2) infra red light is shone into the eye. The retina doesn't pick it up, but it does reflect it back. You can then control things just by blinking, or looking at a photosensor. You can also combine it with an infra red camera, and use it in a similar way to method 1)

3) There's another technology that I saw demonstrated on the gadget show a few weeks back: it works by dividing the screen into flashing squares. Each square flashes at a different frequency. You then attach sensors to the head, and pick up that same frequency within activity in the visual cortex. You then know which square your'e looking at.

of course, there are oodles of non eye related communication methods - jaw clenching, skin resistance, foot pedal, or just a counter on the screen that tells you when the next beep will occur

 

[Chris Noble]

of course, there are oodles of non eye related communication methods - jaw clenching, skin resistance, foot pedal, or just a counter on the screen that tells you when the next beep will occur

In the video he connects electrodes to both ears, complete with conductive gel.

I would guess when he does his "magic" stuff with his eyes he moves other muscles in his head and changes the resistance between his ears (obviously not a perfect vacuum).

It's a bit like perpetual motion devices. The idea is to make them sufficiently complicated and difficult to understand so as to leave room for self deception.

 

[Roma]

While I do think that what Dr.Colin Ross is doing is probably a mechanical trick I wonder why he is using his finger to let us know when we are hearing a sound, we're not deaf. A magician would do this to distract us, but a hypnotist would to this as part of a pre-implanted suggestion. Dr.Colin Ross includes on his own web site his decades long studies of CIA mind control experiments. Is he just playing with people's minds in an experiment of mass hypnosis?