In the 2010 film, Inception, the main character is given the complex task of implanting a memory into someone's mind during a dream.

And it appears that inducing dreams may soon be a reality beyond the screen.

A new headband called iBand+ claims to help wearers fall asleep by creating lucid dreams, allowing them to 'fulfill any fantasy and experience' they want.

A new headband called iBand+ claims to help wearers fall asleep by creating lucid dreams, allowing them to 'fulfill any fantasy and experience' they want

HOW DOES IT WORK? The band itself has 'special health tracking sensors' which measure body movement, heart rate and body temperature. Tracking this information throughout the sleep cycle, the band then uses this information to 'play and intelligently adjust audio-visual signals' to induce lucid dreams. This is done through a combination of light effects on the headband, and sounds played through the band's paired speakers, to 'effectively deliver audio-visual stimuli'. Advertisement

The Amsterdam-based makers of the device are currently looking for funding on Kickstarter, and have already surpassed their goal of €50,000 (£44,000 or $56,000) by raising €268,004 (£235,936 or $300,000 ).

They describe the device as 'a truly smart wireless Bluetooth EEG headband' which 'senses your brain waves with laboratory level accuracy.'

The band itself has 'special health tracking sensors' which measure body movement, heart rate and body temperature.

Tracking this information throughout the sleep cycle, the band then 'plays and intelligently adjusts audio-visual signals' to induce lucid dreams.

The makers describe the device as 'a truly smart wireless Bluetooth EEG headband' which 'senses your brain waves with laboratory level accuracy.' The band itself has 'special health tracking sensors' which measure body movement, heart rate and body temperature

This is done through a combination of light effects on the headband, and sounds played through the band's paired speakers, to 'effectively deliver audio-visual stimuli'.

The sleep cycle consists of two main phases – rapid eye movement (REM) and non-rapid-eye-movement (NREM) sleep.

Typically, vivid dreaming occurs in the REM phase, while in the NREM phase, people can easily be woken.

The sleep cycle consists of two main phases – rapid eye movement (REM) and non-rapid-eye-movement (NREM) sleep. Typically, vivid dreaming occurs in the REM phase, while in the NREM phase, you could easily be woken

During REM sleep, the muscles in our arms and legs are temporarily paralysed, which is thought to be a neurological barrier to prevent us 'acting out' our dreams.

The iBand+ is designed to sense this REM phase, at which point it plays the audio-visual cues.

The headband, which comes in three colours, is also connected to an app, allowing users to track their sleep over a period of time

In the 2010 film, Inception (scene pictured), the main character is given the complex task of implanting a memory into someone's mind during a dream. And it appears that inducing dreams may soon be a reality beyond the screen

The makers said: 'These subtle external stimuli of light patterns via the LEDs on headband and sound from the pillow speakers appear as anomalies in your dream making you aware that you are dreaming without waking you up.'

The headband, which comes in three colours, is also connected to an app, allowing users to track their sleep over a period of time.

If the headband does make it to market, it will retail at €279 (£245 in UK, $312 in US).

Audio-visual cues are created through a combination of light effects on the headband, and sounds played through the band's paired speakers

SLEEP QUALITY AROUND THE WORLD

Another app, called 'Sleep Cycle' tracks a user's sleep as they go through a cycle of sleep phases.

It uses the phone's accelerometre to identify phases by tracking movements in bed and wakes users up during their lightest sleep phase, using a pre-defined 30-minute alarm window.

Last year, Sleep Cycle gathered data from its two million users for a study to test sleep quality in 47 countries.

The results showed that in terms of national average sleep quality, Slovakia topped the list, with China in second place followed by Hungary and the Czech Republic.

The UK was in 45th place, while the US was in 49th.