Approved For Release 2000/08/08 : CIA-RDP96-00789R002200600001-1 At the video monitor, the PS are indistinguishable from the between-stimuli blank screens. At the PC, however, the PS are distinguishable from the blank screen background, because the PC must copy a frame buffer (albeit all 0s) into the output frame buffer. In our experiment, the RS and PS results were statistically identical, and independently, both were significantly different from the Monte Carlo distributions. This raises the question as to what constitutes the target stimulus. Our result is unexpected given the target is considered to be what is displayed on the remote monitor. It is conceivable that the internal activity of the PC, or its companion computer, is acting as an unintended target. If this were true, then there might be an electromagnetic (EM) coupling between the viewer’s CNS and the internal electronic activity of the computers. It is well known that computers radiate EM energies at relatively high frequencies; for frequencies above 100 Hz, the shielded room is transparent. Analysis of the background runs (i.e., data collected in the absence of a sender or viewer) showed no EM coupling into the MEG electronics, it remains possible that the statistical effects we have seen are due to CNS responses to remote bursts of EM energy. Let us assume that the overall RS and PS effects are meaningful. Since the PSs are indistinguishable at the monitor from the between-stimuli background but are distinguishable at the IBM PC, then the present experiment demonstrates that the source of stimuli is the IBM PC. During the SRI/Langley Porter study in 1977, SRI developed an entirely battery operated stimulus generator as a special precaution against the possibility of system artifacts in the form of EM pickup. They reported significant CNS responses to remote stimuli, nonetheless.® Therefore, it remains possible that we have observed an anomalous information transfer. Before further research is conducted (see Section D below), it is important to measure the EM radiation patterns, and to see if they are of sufficient strength to be detected (by the appropriate hardware) in the shielded room. By adjusting the PC program, the PS internal activity can be eliminated. It would be interesting to see if the similarity between the RS and PS results persists. 28 Approved For Release 2000/08/08 : CIA-RDP96-00789R002200600001-1
Approved For Release 2000/08/08 : CIA-RDP96-00789R002200600001-1 D. Recommendations for Further Research Dr. C. C. Wood (current director of the Neuromagnetism Laboratory at LANL) and Dr. E. R. Flynn (former director) have provided the following recommendations for continued investigations. This abbreviated list of topics summarizes a day-long discussion with the SRI staff about the most promising directions for further research. (1) (2) (3) (4) Search for neurophysiological mechanisms of remote viewing capability. Although the FY 1989 experiment produced strong suggestive evidence that remote viewing significantly alters the neuromagnetically recorded brain activity in the alpha (approximately 10 Hz) band, additional work is needed to develop measures of the effect that can be localized to specific brain regions by means of source localization models. This goal is particularly important for understanding the neural mechanisms of remote viewing. Does the effect involve activation of the visual structures that mediate normal vision? Or are additional structures involved? ze neuromagneti ivity elici near-threshold stimuli in signal- ion tasks. In order to increase our understanding of how weak signals might influence neuromagnetic brain activity, we propose to compare the remote viewing data obtained in FY 1989 with that elicited by near-threshold stimuli in signal-detection tasks. For the behavioral data obtained in such tasks, a well-developed body of mathematical theory exists that will be of considerable value in distinguishing between aspects of brain activity elicited by weak signals and those related to subjects’ perception of those signals. Use advanced signal-processing techniques to assess changes in neuromagnetic activity induced by remote viewing. The FY 1989 results suggestive of remote viewing effects are based on spectral analysis of pre- and post-event time epochs. These analyses focused on alpha band activity because that activity was most obvious to visual inspection of the pre- and post-event epochs. In order to determine the optimal means of characterizing remote viewing effects, we propose to employ a variety of advanced signal processing algorithms, including nonlinear dynamic analysis, to achieve a more complete characterization of such effects. lor ible neurophysiologi reenin ni r_high-likeli rem viewing capability. Anecdotal observations in conjunction with FY 1989 experiments suggest that some “calibrated” remote viewers may have unusually large magnetic responses to visual stimulation. To follow up this observation, we propose to compare magnetic responses of visual, auditory, and somatosensory stimulation in “calibrated” remote viewers, with matched controls, who demonstrate no remote viewing capability. 29 Approved For Release 2000/08/08 : CIA-RDP96-00789R002200600001-1