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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 Os) 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. 6 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.
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)
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?
(2)
Analyze neuromagnetic activity elicited bv near-threshold stimuli .in signal-detection
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.
(3)
Use advanced signal-processing techniques to assess changes in neuromagnetic activity
induced bv 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.
(4)
Explore possible neurophysiological screening techniques for high-likelihood remote
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.
Approved For Release 2000/08/08
: CIA-RDP96-00789R002200600001-1