Project Other Side

This project is about paranormal activity. The reason for this is to understand more about the potential for an afterlife, the physics of our world, consciousness, etc. The goal is to communicate with spirits; that term is specifically referring to human beings who have died, however, there might be non-human spirits we communicate with as well. While any number of things could be communicated, the main goal we want to know is what the afterlife is like. Examples of possible questions might be: What is your full name and where and when were you born? How are you able to move around? Can you go to any part of the planet? Can you leave the planet? Are you able to see other spirits? If so, are you able to communicate with them? What are you unable to do? Are you trapped? Is there a heaven/hell? It's easy to see patterns in all the anecdotal evidence people provide about spirits/ghosts. I have had an experience I believed to be caused by a spirit/ghost while I worked briefly at a place that was known by employees to be haunted; supposedly other businesses in the area had strange things happen as well. It was thought to be caused by horrific murders that occurred many years prior.

 

Four recurring observations in particular that are quite fascinating are actual messages from loved ones people have reported, which implies consciousness and another dimension that these passed individuals occupy that overlaps ours. Another aspect is that people have witnessed physical objects being moved. Thirdly, a pattern of events is electronics such as lighting turning off and on in an intelligent way. Finally, there are often reports of sudden dips in temperature. There are of course other anomalies, but we will focus primarily on the four above for the proposed project mentioned below.

 

Project Other Side would set up at least one communication station in an area well known to have paranormal activity. While set up by a small team of people, when conducting the experiment there will be nobody present on location as the team will be remotely operating the experiment for primarily safety reasons. Multiple cameras and other technology will be available to the team to interact with a spirit and or attempt to interact with one. Communication from the side of the team will consist of speakers, different color lights, a large flat-screen TV that can display questions or pictures (assuming it can be seen/read), and an automated system with a marker pen that can physically write questions on paper. There would be multiple ways a spirit could choose to communicate. For example, there would be multiple Ouija boards with planchettes of various materials, wood, plastic, and metals, some with magnetic properties. There would be some kind of physical writing tool, such as a marker pen or pencil suspended so that the writing end is making contact with the paper. It would be supported by a small lightweight support system (could be popsicle sticks and glue), with magnets surrounding all sides, with the logic being that perhaps a spirit could push this object to draw, answer or ask a question, or simply show any kind of presence through a reaction.

 

Another variation of communication could be something along the lines of an enlarged QWERTY computer keyboard layout, with magnets on every individual key. The keys would be designed differently from a typical keyboard in that they would be more sensitive, and not necessarily need to be pushed/pressed. However, the keys could be designed in a way similar to that of a weight scale, so that any amount of weight/pressure could trigger a specific key. I imagine this large keyboard to be flat like a heating mat used for sprouting seeds. The main idea is that each key could respond to electromagnetic radiation, where a dip in temperature could be detected, ultimately triggering a specific letter key. The size of this flat keyboard could be significantly larger than a traditional keyboard, an example of the actual size being twenty feet in width. A designated large computer screen would be assigned for this particular station to display what keys were potentially pressed and in what order.

 

Various cameras and sensors would be set up to collect data. It is common to see a host of devices being used in “ghost hunting” shows to detect data such as temperature and electromagnetic energy. I was inspired by watching a show called The Secret of Skinwalker Ranch, as studies were being conducted with a higher level of focus on science, as well as embracing a multitude of technologies in their pursuit of the truth. Another inspiration for trying new types of technology to detect spirits is from a viral video posted of a Tesla car driving very slow through a cemetery and on the dash-mounted screen displaying people as if there were pedestrians present. There are numerous videos online recreating this anomaly. Supposedly, a Tesla employee commented that the radar detection system is so strong that it could have picked up the bodies of people despite being buried underground. What I found particularly interesting about this video was that multiple people were moving back and forth, not what you would expect from a non-moving dead body. For our use, we will simulate the pedestrian detection system on Tesla cars that are thought to be responsible for these results. This would be used in an area that would not be a cemetery or an area known to have anyone buried underground nearby, so if our system picks people up, it’s not likely a result of the radar finding bodies.

 

This concept makes me think of an automated machine version of what a clairvoyant medium can do to a degree. I have seen a number of shows over the years that convinced me that some people are clearly capable of communicating with spirits. From watching two shows in particular, Psychic Kids from A&E, and most recently Life After Death with Tyler Henry, it is evident that these mediums have an extraordinary talent, but are limited in what information they can retrieve, and are sometimes dealing with situations that are emotionally upsetting which can interfere with getting an accurate reading. I think these true mediums (the ones who have integrity and are not con artists) are helping many people, from solving cold cases to providing much-needed closure from a loved one's passing. I think mediums will help our society get to a better place as their gifts are better understood and embraced. With that said, I think there is great value in having an automated system that is not biased, and completely objective, especially if it can be operated in a way that would not require any intermediary human assistance at all. Hopefully one day soon there will be a very accessible way for individuals to communicate with past loved ones without having to wait patiently on a seemingly endless waiting list or pay a hefty price to work with a medium.