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Contents
1. Great daily relaxation session which can be used before stretching yoga etc te 35 Regeneration 35 Tranquility A medium length relaxation session good choice for after returning home after a day s work Regeneration 45 Tranquility A somewhat longer version of the above session A long gentle session with much time spent in the 8 to 12 Hz range 19 60 Deep Meditation Tranquility A deeply refreshing session with much time spent in the 4 Hz to 13 Hz range 19 Session Length Name Category Number Min 20 15 Meditative Mind 15 Tranquility A brief refreshing stroll through the 9 to 13 Hz range with me dium paced color sweeps Good range of colors 2 60 Meditative Mind 60 Tranquility A long leisurely voyage through the 9 to 13 Hz range with gradu ally shifting colors 22 60 Deep Tranquility Tranquility An hour s visit to the land of Hypongogia mostly slow deeply peaceful frequencies interspersed with unflickering baths of color R3 15 Night Voyage 15 Night Voyage A short descent into slow washes of color with emphasis on blues and greens Night Voyage 25 Night Voyage A somewhat longer version of the above session with slower changes Night Voyage 35 Night Voyage Deeper still into the dream realms inhabiting the edges of sleep Night Voyage 45 Night Voyage Especially useful for shifting your consci2. Quick Alertness Learning Intended to bring your mind into sharper focus in a short period of time especially for use prior to study 6 15 Concentration Learning A good means for helping focus the mind for study with primarily 13 to 14 Hz performance peaking frequencies Attention Booster 15 Learning Alternates between 12 and 18 Hz with pauses between each Good for mental activation applications DE oo Attention Booster 20 Learning Alternates between 12 and 18 Hz with pauses between each Good for mental activation applications Longer version of above a os Quick Break Peak Performance Includes both quick relaxation and re activation sequences for study and athletic preparation 18 Session Length Name Category Number Min 10 17 Athletic Warm Up Peak Performance A more complex sequence of frequencies intended for use before sports to concentrate mind and body 11 15 Power Recharge Peak Performance A more stimulating session to help clear your mind of thoughts 12 Peak Performance 30 Peak Composure Ideal for use with positive affirmations or guided visualizations re corded by yourself or others for boosting athletic performance 13 18 Performance Intensive Peak Performance Fast paced mood boosting session which can be used with fast music as well Ideal for use with deep breathing and muscle awareness exercises
3. 230 In other words in this case the light remains on about ten percent of the time and 1s off the other ninety per cent Pulse widths in the approximate range 20 to 80 seem to produce the most interesting visual effects Pulse Width Modulation The pulse width can change over the course of a segment from an initial value to a final value This shift is called pulse width modulation Segment The basic unit of structure for a session It can have a variable length typically is in the range from a few seconds to a few minutes Programmable parameters always have starting values and ending values which are defined by the beginning and end of a seg ment For example if a one minute segment starts at 5 Hz and ends at 10 Hz the speed will gradually increase in a linear way during the segment 24 Session The sequence of one or more segments constituting a pro grammed Procyon audio visual experience Wavetable A series of numbers representing a waveform In the case of Procyon there are both visual and audio waveforms in both cases they are 255 numbers long Appendix Procyon Features and Programming The following section includes a brief review of the technical features of the Procyon followed by in introduction to how sessions are constructed and the various programmable parameters If you wish to author ses sions you should download the Procyon Editor guide from www mindplacesupport com and review availa
4. Set the amplitude of the color channel s to 0 2 Set duty cycle and phase to 127 and the frequency to a low value frequency is not used in a Ganzfeld and a low value mini mizes processor load 3 Vary the the DC offset between 127 minimum brightness and 255 maximum brightness You can also create a pseudo ganzfeld by setting the frequency to its maximum value which appears unflickering to most peo ple and varying the brightness The triangle and sine settings provide the best results in this case DC Offset Creating waveforms that flicker and clip DC Offset allows you to mix unflickering ganzfeld light with flickering light The normal setting for this is 127 setting it to a higher value moves the waveform upwards meaning that as the setting grows larger up to 255 the light remains on at what would normally be the off part of the waveform The closer to the maximum value of 255 you set it the more ganzfeld like the lights will be Though space does not permit a further treatment of this topic in this User s Guide we cover it in detail in the documentation for the Procyon Editor software available at www mindplacesupport com You can also post any comments suggestions etc on the Pro cyon User s Forum at that site May your Procyon experience be blissful 35 PROCYON LIMITED WARRANTY AND RELEASE FROM LIABILITY 1 Procyon is guaranteed to be free from manufacturing defects for a perio
5. Yellow on the other hand appears to help the mind focus while studying and can allow access to peak performance mind states The Lumatron is an example of a system which uses colored flickering light in a therapeutic context though of course we make no medical claims of any sort for the Procyon It is possible to use the Procyon to produce pure jewel like colors which do not flicker at all It can also play sequences which un fold gradually or shift rapidly from hue to hue When this is done in the range of about 4 to 20 times per second especially unusual visual and psychological effects can be produced inducing the illu sion of complex shifting geometrical imagery This imagery can be so compelling that the mind clears of extraneous thoughts and distractions and the other stressors of daily life In this way the Procyon is like a form of accelerated meditation Benefits We ve created the Procyon as an experimental tool for the explora tion of a wide range of colored light and sound induced alternate states of awareness And although we hope you will take advan tage of our software tool for creating your own works of mind art and other applications we ve also included a variety of preset sessions to get you started Sessions are grouped into these general categories Tranquility and calming These sessions use mostly calming colors especially blue and green but also shades of purple and oc casionally o
6. Status Square gt Triangular Stop Session IV Red LF active M GmLF active Iv BluLF active M WhtL active V SoundActive Start Finish Start Finish Current Seg tt 1 Pitch Left 60 300 Pitch Right 255 305 Volume Left 255 6 VolumeRigt f 64 255 Run B Seg ae Figure 2 2 Programmable parameters for visual effects include the follow ing items which may be set independently for each of the four color channels Frequency The rate at which lights are flickering This may range from 0 to 80 Hz in 0 1 Hz increments Amplitude This sets the brightness level and ranges from 0 off to 255 maximum DC Offset Used to set the level of shimmer in a light channel The default setting is 127 which would modulate normally be tween on and off as determined by the selected waveform A setting of 250 for example will barely be flickering Setting this to a value below 127 will cause the waveform to clip at top and bottom which can generate additional interesting visual effects Duty Cycle This determines the ratio of on to off time for the Square waveform Ranges from 0 off always to 254 on al most always Phase Determines when a waveform starts relative to the start of a segment If this is set to 0 for each color channel all colors would be aligned turning on and off at exactly the same time However very interesting effects are obtained especially at l
7. by selecting this function Multiple visual waveforms Choose from pulse sine triangle Multiple visual effects Phase shifting creates a constantly chang ing complex range of colors while pulse width modulation creates hard edged visual effects Mix flicker with ganzfeld for subtle shimmering effects II Setting your system up Your Procyon package should include the following items e Procyon console GanzFrames personal display e Stereo headphones e USB mini to standard USB cable e Stereo audio patch cord e Carry case e Manual You will also need three AA alkaline batteries not included for standalone operation If you connect it to a PC then your Procyon will be powered via the USB cable Please refer to the illustration blow while setting your system up Step 1 Install the batteries e Remove the sliding battery cover from the back of the Procyon e Install three alkaline AA batteries Be sure to observe proper orientation e Replace battery cover 7 Step 2 Connect the GanzFrames and headphones e Plug the GanzFrames gently into the top of the console No tice that the plug fits in only one way e Plug the headphones into the correct jack on the right side of the unit Step 3 Select and run a session e Turn the unit ON by pressing the on off button The LED display will briefly flash the word on and then show 000 This is the random session e Press the Up Down key to sel
8. light which glows steadily without flickering We ve extended this definition to include fields of light which can change from one hue to another 23 Hertz Hz Also know as cycles per second this is a measure of how many oscillations for example binaural beats or flashes occur each second Phase The relationship between two or more waveforms relative to the start of the waveform If two sine waves are moving together they are said to be in phase if one starts before the other they are out of phase Phase Shift The degree by which two waveforms are out of phase One complete cycle of a waveform is equal to 360 degrees when pro gramming the Procyon it varies in the range 0 to 255 so there are about 1 41 degrees per 1 unit Procyon phase change Programmable Parameter Any aspect of a Procyon session which can be altered or programmed For example light waveform phase shift frequency brightness etc See the Procyon Programmer s Guide for more details Pulse Width One of the Procyon light waveforms is a pulse wave form That means that the light turns on and off more or less instantly Pulse width is a measure of how long it remains on before turning off and this is a number between 0 always off and 255 always on For example if the pulse width is 25 then the light will turn on briefly and remain off for the remainder of the waveform period which in this case is equal to 255 25
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10. Middle Mind Centering Accenting light meditation to focused awareness with frequencies Rejuvenation Rejuvenation primarily within the 9 to 18 Hz range 21 Session Length Name Category Number Min 40 10 Creative Visualization 10 Visualization These sessions are designed for the visualization of goals of various sorts Use the longer ones with external audio if you have any 41 15 Creative Visualization 15 Visualization Frequency range for these sessions is primarily in the 4 to 14 Hz range Visualization 42 25 Creative Visualization 25 We suggest that you start with the 10 minute session working your way gradually towards the longest you have time for Visualization 43 35 Creative Visualization 35 Creative Visualization 45 Visualization 45 co Creative Visualization 60 Visualization A rollicking inventive segment system with much color and variety Symbol Spaces A more surreal set of color changes and multicolored lightscapes Kaleidoscopic Mind Complex imagery with an emphasis on Mandalas vortexes and spin spaces Pyromania A pull out the stops romp into full blown mind art 22 Glossary Some of the words defined below are used to describe as pects of the programming of Procyon sessions in the follow ing Appendix BioConnect A serial data protocol for controlling various
11. PROCYON AUDIO VISUAL SYNTHESIZER WWW MINDPLACE COM READ THIS BEFORE USING PROCYON Procyon is intended for use as a tool for enhancing con sciousness and for personal growth It is not intended for use as a medical diagnostic or therapeutic device and no medical claims of any sort are made for it DO NOT USE THIS PRODUCT without your doctor s specific guidance if you or any family member has ever experienced any form of seizure disorder such as epilepsy or if you are or have been taking any form of psychoactive drug such as am phetamines barbiturates etc Procyon Audio Visual Synthesizer User s guide and Reference I Introduction Congratulations You have just purchased the most advanced per sonal light and sound system available on the market today The Procyon Audio Visual Synthesizer is a powerful tool for exploring a wide range of interesting and beneficial states of awareness and we think you will find it very helpful when used regularly The Procyon includes 50 unique pre programmed light and sound stimulation sequences called sesszons and sometimes programs within its internal memory each designed with a specific goal in mind We suggest that you first work with those sessions which best suit your needs before exploring further All sessions were designed to support the mental processes required to integrate the lessons of daily life and we believe you will will help make your inner travels mor
12. ble tutorials Features The Procyon incorporates the following unique features e Create millions of colors including pastels with our Procyon Visual Effects Engine e Colored ganzfeld option create nonflickering fields of light which shift in hue and brightness e Hybrid ganzfeld flicker capability i e variable brightness in tensity instead of on off e 16 24 bit audio codec for audiophile sound quality e 30 kbytes of flash memory for session storage e USB port e The ability to control external devices such as LED arrays Turn the entire room into a shifting kaleidoscopic visual sculpture e BioConnect feature allows real time control of light via bio sensor input implemented in an OS release to come 25 In the first part of this document I will discuss the programming model we ve developed for the creation of visual effects this is followed by a brief introduction to session programming Visual Effects Programming Basics Here is a summary of the capabilities of our Visual Effect Engine Four simultaneous color channels red green blue white 255 shades of each color plus off Light modulation via wavetable sine pulse triangle Variable phase control of light waveforms including real time phase shifting e Lights may be modulated to 75 hz unnmodulated ganzfeld or variations between them Each color channel may be set to its own set of frequencies color ramps etc L
13. d of one year from the date of purchase Any defective parts will be repaired free of charge exclusive of shipping costs during that one year period Damage caused by a purchaser s misuse or accident or by fire flood or natural disaster is not covered by this limited warranty When returning Procyon to the Manufacturer purchaser should be sure to include name address telephone number and description of the problem PURCHASER MUST CONTACT MANUFACTURER FOR AUTHORIZATION BEFORE RETURNING UNIT FOR ANY REASON Visit http www mindplace com support htm for online ser vice 2 DISCLAIMER EXCEPT AS PROVIDED INPARAGRAPH 1 ABOVE THE PUR CHASER ACKNOWLEDGES THAT HE SHE IS PURCHASING THE PROCYON AS IS THE MANUFACTURER AND SELLER SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES EXPRESS OR IMPLIED INCLUDING IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND OF FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR USE THE MANUFACTURER AND SELLER ALSO ASSUME NO LIABILITY FOR ANY LOSS OR DAMAGE ARISING FROM THEORIES OF TORTIOUS CONDUCT INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE AND STRICT CONDUCT 3 Release from Liability The purchaser is fully aware that Procyon is an experi mental device that provides audio and visual stimulation Because it is experi mental the purchaser understands that The MindPlace Company Inc is not certain that it is suitable for all applications or users each of whom may be affected dif ferently by the devices because of individual physical and emotional makeup Per
14. e productive The Procyon also provides you with maximum flexibility because you can create your own sessions using our free Procyon Editor soft ware for Windows available from www mindplacesupport com You can mix your own audio sources CD s MP3 s etc with the internally synthesized audio tones And the Procyon is the first light and sound system available that includes compact disc quality digital audio Now you can transform the experience of your fa vorite music or enhance the effects of learning personal growth and imagery based audio with the powerful effects of light and sound Consciousness as art form Procyon s ability to create and fluidly control a palette of millions of colors and to precisely synchronize this flowing rainbow with music and other audio sources presents the opportunity to create a new kind of consciousness altering artform Be sure to check our site www mindplace com frequently for the latest updates and audio visual artworks Color mood and awareness It has long been known that color can have a profound effect on cognition and perception That s why colors such as blue and green are often used in hospitals and prisons due to their calming effects Research has shown that pure colored light can achieve this same goal for example red light is more effective at inducing mental and physiological activation while blue light reduces such activation and can instill a sense of deep calm
15. ect a session See pages 18 22 for a description of internal factory sessions While holding the key the session number will initially advance slowly then accelerate like setting a clock radio To cause the session number to decre ment press the Up Down and Start Stop button at the same time e Press the Start Stop button once to start a session The dis play will briefly flash the word run then display the session num ber again e Use the dials at the top of the unit to adjust the audio volume and light brightness We recommend starting at low settings and gradually increasing them to optimum levels e To stop the session press the Start Stop button once The display will flash End one time then the session number CAUTION Do not open your eyes while wearing the Gan zFrames The LEDs are very bright Do not start a session at high brightness levels unless you are certain that you will find it comfortable III Using your Procyon How to have a perfect session Finding a comfortable and quiet setting is an important ingredient for having an ideal session with your Procyon It can also help to loosen any tight clothes belts etc e If your goal is to unwind during your session then lying down can also help but is not essential e Ifyou think you might fall asleep during your session turning the light out helps since some ambient light would normally make its way to your eyes from the sides of the GanzFrames and slight
16. essions or albums collections of sessions to the Procyon s internal memory It is selected automati cally when transferring this information via the Procyon Editor software and is provided for use with potential future open source software dL2 Choose this mode if you are transferring sessions from a compact disc this is useful when a user does not have a PC avail able but would like to update their system Also used with Syn chroMuse encoded compact discs dAS Digital Audio Synchrony Used when listening to Syn chroMuse encoded compact discs 13 AS AudioStrobe compatibility mode use when playing AudioStrobe or other high frequency encoded compact discs Connecting to a PC We ve included a USB cable so you can connect Procyon to your PC Before doing so be sure to download the USB driver from the Procyon section of http www mindplacesupport com and install it before connecting your system In addition you will need to download and install the Procyon Editor software and its associ ated User s Guide the zip d file Procyon Package includes all three Connecting to the PreSage biofeedback system It is possible to control the Procyon using the PreSage biofeedback system in order to do so you will need a special adapter cable available from www mindplace com or your Procyon dealer In order to use this feature when it becomes available you will need to install the latest Procyon firmware from our support si
17. hree buttons on the front panel have the following functions The TOP button is the START STOP button Just press and re lease the button once briefly to operate GanzFrame jack Volume Brightness a LED Display On off button Start Stop USB connector HLNASITVYNSIA Olahv S A VvVINOAID Mode Select Up Down _ Headphone Jack Audio Input 10 The MIDDLE button is for selecting a mode see page 13 When you turn the system on it automatically sets itself to SESSION mode which displays a three digit session number Each time you press it it steps to the next mode displaying the following se quence Session SES gt PC gt dL1 gt dL2 gt dAS gt AS gt SES The BOTTOM button is for selecting a specific session while in Session mode the display shows three digits The ON OFF button is located on the upper part of the right side of the console There are two dials on top of the console The LEFT one is AU DIO VOLUME and the RIGHT one is LIGHT BRIGHTNESS The audio volume affects only internal audio not external audio use your CD MP3 player s volume control to set the proper bal ance between the two We recommend that you set the dials to a low level before starting your session and increase them slowly until you find the most comfortable setting There are four connectors on the Procyon On the TOP of the unit is the GanzFrame connector Note that this socket i
18. ights may be intensity modulated meaning they vary in brightness rather than turning from on to off We call this effect shammer I will discuss the technical details of this system in the context of the Procyon Editor software tool we ve developed for session crea tion Segments and session format A session is made up of a number of a number of segments Segments may vary in length from 0 5 seconds to 10 0 minutes in half to a tenth of a second increments For each segment the author determines a start value and a finish value for each programmable parameter those values then change in a linear manner from segment start to finish 26 80 0 255 Brightness Frequency 0 01 0 Segment One Segment Two Figure 1 The illustration above shows the first two segments of a session only brightness and frequency from a single color channel are dis played for the sake of clarity Frequency starts in segment one at about 15 hz and ends at about 35 hz while brightness starts at about 110 and ends at 255 the maximum setting The main segment edit screen looks like this RGBW project Editing scratch avw File Session Tools Serial Communication Utilities About e Blue White Send data to Estat ai Start Finish Start Finish GBEO 2 EA 33 EES 6 _ 37 Adjust Sound E 255 BEJ 255 78 fo Parameters 127 127 127 127 127 f 160 TAM EHA Ea 127 EEA 127 127 Pause and Yo EE EE Po ro ro Get
19. ly wash out the intensity of the colors Choose a ses sion with a slow pulse rate and mostly blue green hues is espe cially pleasant and helpful in this case Using just the Gan zFrames alone while listening to your stereo or to nothing would probably be most comfortable unless you wanted to use binaural beats you can use loudspeakers if your head is between them e If your goal is a short relaxation break then sitting in a comfort able chair is ideal If you are taking a break at work short ses sions seem to give the best results around fifteen minutes A longer period could put you to sleep if you are at all tired by removing the environmental cues which would normally keep you awake e To experience a clear headed meditative state use one of the meditation sessions e Ifyou are feeling tired try an energize session Their acceler ating tempos function in a manner similar to listening to music with similar tempo changes On off and powet saving The system is turned on and off via the button on the right side of the console In order to save power in case you forget to turn it off it will automatically turn off in the following manner e In Session mode display shows three digit session number after three minutes of inaction e In PC dL1 or dL2 modes after 20 minutes e In AS or DAS modes after 80 minutes allowing time for a full CD to play before shutting off Buttons connectors and display The t
20. nd of this man ual noting its associated number e Turn the Procyon on and use the up down button to select that number e Press the Start Stop button to begin your session The random session Session 000 is random that is the sequence and length are dif ferent every time you run it Use this for pure entertainment and to gain a sense of some of Procyon s color mixing capabilities 12 Brightness and volume The function of these controls should be clear Note the symbols printed on the case next to the dials headphone on the left and brightness on the right The long thin triangles printed next to these symbols indicate level moving the dial towards the thin part to the right will reduce audio volume and light brightness Modes There are several different modes in which your system can func tion When you turn Procyon on it is automatically in SESSION MODE SES and displays the currently selected session number Each time you press the mode button it will step through the oth ers in sequence their functions are as follows PC Use this mode when creating your own sessions or expeti menting with color mixing Normally you would use our Procyon Editor software for Windows which may be downloaded from the Procyon section at http www mindplacesupport com For more information about how to create sessions see the Procyon Editor Programming Guide also available on our site dL1 This is for transferring s
21. ngle waveforms increase from minimum to maximum in a smooth manner Try experimenting with the sine and triangle waveforms when the pulse rates are low especially in the 1 to 8 hz range and pulse waveforms when the pulse rates are in higher ranges 8 hz Example approximate pulse width settings 33 How phase shift affects color mixing So far we have considered only the cases of static pulse width and phase shift However you can also choose to vary either or both across a segment When the phase of one color is changing at a different rate than another the resulting colors are con stantly changing We call this dynamic phase shift illustrated in the example shown below For simplicity only the first and last pulses from a segment are shown The phase shift is programmed as follows Color Start phase shift Finish phase shift Red 0 degrees 90 Green 90 0 In other words the phase of the red sine wave is moving slowly forward while the phase of the green sine wave is slowly moving backwards This causes the amount of each color to mix slightly differently in each cycle producing a range of yellow gold colors as well as green and red Using this effect with low frequencies can produce some especially interesting effects Oo WwW fon Oo Ko a 360 eee ON 360 0 360 oO oO oO Figure 6 34 How to create a Ganzfeld The easiest way to create a Ganzfeld display is as follows 1
22. ny point within a session the default values displayed in the newly inserted segment 29 will be identical to those of the segment preceding it This is in tended to make the process of session creation faster and easier since that newly inserted segment remembers for you what the previous segment settings were Testing segments and sessions You can test an individual segment or a group of segments including the entire session you are editing by doing the follow ing 1 Click your mouse pointer in the Current Seg box it will confirm selection by turning purple 2 Use the slider to select the first segment you wish to test 3 Click your mouse pointer in the Run To Seg box and 4 Use the slider to select the last segment Click the Run Segments button on the right side of the screen Sometimes you may find while running a segment that a certain special color appears which you would like to capture and repro duce for a longer period To do so click the Pause and Get Status button which will produce a list of current parameters on the left side of the screen To preserve this information 1 Right click on the text area and choose Select All 2 Right click on it again and choose Copy 3 Open Notepad or Wordpad Start Accessories and paste the text into it for future reference Manually enter the values in a new segment For complete session creation instructions and tutorials see the Procyon sec
23. ousness to very deep levels DE oO Night Voyage 60 Night Voyage Our deepest and most trance like session Quick Energy 10 Energy A short intense burst of rapid energy with frequencies in the 13 to 21 Hz range emphasis on reds yellows Purples 29 15 Quick Energy 15 Energy Same as above but a bit longer You may not need that second cup of coffee after this one 20 Session Length l Name Category Number Min 30 25 Full Energy 25 Energy Same as above but 25 minutes long and a bit larger frequency range 31 35 Full Energy 35 Energy Good one to use if you haven t been getting enough sleep but need energy for the day 32 45 Full Energy 45 Energy This one is pretty intense best to work up to it if you think you need it at all Energy 33 60 Total Alertness A broad range of shifting states curving up and down the energy ladder but leaving you in an energized refreshed state Afternoon Break Rejuvenation Rejuvenation ie 15 Rejuvenation 15 This pair of sessions provide a gentle mind massage with a range of both relaxing and energizing frequencies and colors 30 25 Rejuvenation 25 Rejuvenation 35 Lunch Break 35 37 Rejuvenation This set of two sessions are the perfect dessert following your lunch leaving you refreshed for the rest of the afternoon 39 eo
24. ow frequencies by offsetting the phases of the various colors See Color Channel Advanced Concepts below Wavetable Use this popdown menu to select sine square trian gle or user waveforms Notice also that there are check boxes below each color channel which allow you to turn a channel on or off in each segment Introduction to Session Creation A session consists of a series of segments you build a session one segment at a time When you first open the RGBW Project editor 28 it will load a default segment When you ve finished editing this segment insert another after it using the F3 key or Session Tools Insert Segment At this point a slider bar appears in the lower right portion of the edit window which looks like this Current Seg H 2 Run to Seg H 2 Figure 3a Use this slider to toggle between the segments you are editing Be sure that the Current Seg box is purple in this case rather than the Run To Seg box You can also use the slide control to choose which segments to preview from the current session For example suppose your ses sion includes 8 segments and you wish to preview numbers 3 to 8 First click in the Current Seg box and adjust the slider to 3 Then click in the Run to Seg box and adjust the slider to 8 The results will look like this Current Seg tt 3 Run to Seg H 8 Figure 3b When inserting segments which may be done at a
25. parame ters of the Artvision with biofeedback equipment allowing for real time control of the system We intend to publish this specification and to support its use under the GNU Public License Clipped Waveform A waveform which is attempting to exceed its maximum allowed amplitude and in consequence is clipped or set equal to the maximum possible amplitude Color Channel A single color from the three available red green and blue and all of its associated parameters Each channel is com pletely independent of the others and can be set to its own frequency brightness phase etc DC offset This controls the amount of steady ganzfeld light is mixed with the flicker component A setting of 127 allows each pulse of light to vary between completely off and completely on while a set ting of 255 completely eliminates flicker Intermediate settings gener ate gently pulsing or flickering output which is generally quite pleas ant Settings in the range 140 to 230 or so produce a nicely balanced mixture of flicker and steady light Flash memory Nonvolatile memory which may be reprogrammed Both the Procyon operating system and data storage utilize this type of memory which may be programmed and erased up to 100 000 times Frequency The number of waveform cycles per second Also re ferred to in this document as Hertz Hz for short The frequency range for the Procyon is 0 1 Hz to 75 0 Hz Ganzfeld a field of
26. s happens multiple times each second and you can begin to visualize the color mixing potential of the Pro cyon From flicker to ganzfeld A ganzfeld is a field of light which fills your visual field Best known for its use in parapsychological studies where typically half of a ping pong ball is placed over each eye then illuminated by a steady red light our ganzfeld feature allows the creation of such fields in a wide variety of colors Flicker can also be mixed with the steady light field creating a range of subtle easy on the eyes shimmering effects perfect for those with sensitive eyes or who otherwise cannot tolerate the in tense flickering produced by most light sound machines Internal audio synthesis The internal audio synthesizer is currently preset to create binaural beats which lock onto any one of the three color channel frequen cies Audio mixing You can mix external audio with Procyon s internal synthesizer Use your CD or MP3 player or any other audio source with a headphone output The audio volume control on top of the unit is used to change the internal volume use your player s headphone 16 volume control your source In this way you can mix the two in an optimum manner Advanced external control The Procyon can be controlled in real time from a PC or other devices via its USB port The Procyon Editor controls in in real time PC mode when you test segments or sessions from your PC We
27. s keyed to fit in only one way with the GanzFrames plug Like all miniature connectors it is somewhat delicate do not attempt to force the GanzFrame plug into it If it doesn t seem to fit in one orientation flip it over and plug it in the other way On the RIGHT SIDE of the console just below the start stop button is the USB jack Use the included or any standard to mini USB cable to attach it to your PC but do not do so until you have installed the Procyon driver and software This connector is also used to communicate with the PreSage biofeedback system using a 11 special cable Below the USB jack is the HEADPHONE jack Plug the included phones into this You can use other headphones as well though the Procyon may not have sufficient power to drive larger studio style headphones The BOTTOM jack is for audio input Use the included stereo mini 3 5 mm cable to connect the output of your CD or MP3 player to this if you would like to mix your music with a session or if you are using AudioStrobe or SynchroMuse encoded CDs You can also plug the line output of your stereo into the system here though you will need a stereo phono to 3 5mm stereo cable Radio Shack for example usually carries these Selecting a session Your system has been pre programmed with a number of sessions of various lengths and suggested applications You can find a list of these on pages 18 22 e Choose a session from the session list at the e
28. sons who have a history of seizures hallucinations or other physical or mental problems should use Procyon only under medical supervision The purchaser further understands that The MindPlace Company Inc its agents and employees will not be held liable in any way for any occurrence of any kind and nature whatsoever in connection with his her use of Procyon or another per son s use of Procyon that may result or ostensibly result in physical or emotional damage to the purchaser or others Furthermore in consideration of and part payment for the Procyon the purchaser hereby personally assumes all risks in connection with his her use of the product and shall advise other users of the product of the experimental nature of this device especially regarding use by those with a history of seizures Furthermore the purchaser assumes all risks in connection with use of the product by other individuals 4 Limitation of damages If notwithstanding the foregoing there should arise any question of liability on the part of the manufacturer or seller the purchaser agrees that such liability should be limited to the cost of replacement of the prod uct 5 Purchaser representations The purchaser represents that he she is of legal age and legally competent and understands that the terms set forth herein are contractual and not mere recital The purchaser has read or will fully read the product Instruction Guide before using Procyon The MindPlace
29. te www mindplacesupport com What happens during a session Sessions are made up of a number of segments of varying lengths During a session these play back sequentially A segment includes beginning and ending values for all of the parameters that can change during that segment For example the first segment may last for ten seconds have only blue light selected and the light may start by being turned com pletely off brightness 0 and end the segment turned completely on brightness 255 During the course of the segment you will notice that the light gradually grows brighter The frequency may be set to ramp from 14 0 Hz down to 8 0 Hz and will be perceived 14 to start relatively quickly and gradually slow down All such ramps are linear that is straight lines Color mind and mood Color is known to have a strong effect on mood and conscious ness For example red light tends to be stimulating and activates the mind and body while blue and green light are soothing For this reason pale blue and green light are often used in hospitals and prisons to help calm the inmates Yellow light is associated with peak performance activities and is useful for achieving a relaxed yet alert state of mind Colored light has sometimes also been used therapeutically though of course we are not suggesting that you use this system for medi cal applications in the form of color therapies such as the Luma tron colored strobe s
30. th 255 brightness levels for each color there are literally millions of colors to choose from Ganztfeld feature A Ganzfeld is a field of pure color which does not flicker With Procyon you can select a favorite color and use it for color meditation for example Of course the colors can trans form into another hue at any rate you choose Independent color channel programming Each color channel red green blue can be assigned its own brightness and frequency for creation of complex visual effects and mind states Large internal program store More than 1500 segments which can be divided between up to 250 sessions stored in internal flash memoty USB port Transfer new sessions into your Procyon update its Operating system and back up your current sessions to your PC Control the Procyon in real time from your PC or biofeedback sys tem Digital audio input output Another Procyon first low noise compact disc quality audio for more precise control of internal and external audio mixing and virtual elimination of clicking from the lights Internal audio synthesizer Creates binaural beats locked to the frequency of one of the three color channels SynchtoMuse This powerful new function synchronizes audio content on encoded compact discs with internally stored sessions The experience is similar to AudioStrobe only in full color AudioStrobe compatible Play your legacy AudioStrobe encoded CDs
31. ther colors for visual variety They tend to change slowly and are intended to lead the mind towards a state of tran quility Before bed Similar to the calming sessions but even slower and again focused on blue and green light and their combinations The goal is to help clear the mind before bed Some users have re ported having unusually vivid dreams with these sessions Learning Most of these are based upon the twilight learning and super learning paradigm and are intended to lead your mind into a light trance like state known as hypnogogia Peak performance Mostly middle of the rainbow colors and frequencies associated with the goals of mental activation and peak performance often used for learning and sports preparation Energy rejuvenation More active patterns shift rapidly and are intended to prepare the mind and body for activities such as sports and other physical activities or before meetings and tests Perfect for use during breaks from work and for study Visualization artform entertainment These sessions demon strate the more purely aesthetic aspects of the Procyon and are intended to induce more complex even hallucinatory visual im agery and as preparation for exploring altered states of awareness Features Compact Full Color Personal Display Our new GanzFrames design uses state of the art surface mounted solid state optoelec tronic emitters which generate and mix pure red green and blue light Wi
32. tion at www mindplacesupport com Color channel advanced concepts In this section we ll discuss the color channel programming options 30 in more detail Figure 4 below illustrates the effect of shifting the phase of the red green and blue lights relative to one another In this case a sine wave is being used One full cycle of a waveform occurs over 360 degrees and if there is no phase shift it starts at 0 degrees rises and falls in a half circle intersects the X axis at 180 degrees and completes the lower negative half circle at 360 degrees In the example below this is illustrated by the color red Notice that blue is exactly the opposite of red and so they are 180 degrees out of phase with one another This means that when red is at maximum brightness blue is off and vice versa Green is shifted by about a quarter of a full wave to the right a 90 degree phase shift So it starts to turn on just as red reaches its 0 255 0 255 0 Figure 4 maximum brightness and reaches its maximum brightness as red is just turning off So the red and green are changing brightness rela 31 tive to one another producing a range of intermediate colors Green reaches its maximum brightness level as blue is starting to turn on so although red and blue are not on at the same time they both are on while green is on and mix with it In the next example we ll examine pulse width using the square waveform The sq
33. uare waveform is more accurately a pu se waveform since its width may be varied it turns from off to maximum brightness and vice versa almost immediately The pulse can have a variable width if it is 50 then it is a true square wave In the example pictured below both blue and green have a width of about 40 while the red is narrow about 10 Also illustrated is the effect of phase shift on the mixing of pulse width modulated color Notice that blue and red turn on together starting at 0 phase The color would be purple until red turns off then blue until green turned on then blue green 0 255 0 255 0 255 0 255 0 255 Figure 5 32 This combination of pulse width modulation and phase shifting can create spectacular visual effects allowing you to present entire sections of a rainbow in each pulse period Pulse width is set by an integer value ranging from 0 not on at all to 255 on all the time these are the equivalent of 0 to 100 A pulse width of 127 then would be about 50 a square wave For single colors our experience indicates that pulse widths in the 20 40 range produce the most interesting visuals but this should only be taken as approximate guidance since the effect of mixing colors with a variety of pulse widths is a new area for research Notice that a fundamental difference between the pulse sine and triangle waveforms is that while the pulse waveforms turn on and off instantly sine and tria
34. ve also written a beta Active X control which is available on www mindplacesupport com for those interested in developing PC applications to control it Online resources Be sure to visit www mindplacesupport com for the latest docu mentation sessions tutorials etc A Guide to the Procyon preset sessions The internal sessions fall into a number of general categories asso ciated with suggested use These include learning peak perform ance tranquility night voyage energizing rejuvenation visualiza tion and mind art The tables on the following pages list the sessions and include a brief description 17 Session Length ani E Number Min ee O varies Random Random This session is different every time you run it with frequencies ranging from 1 15 Relax before Exams Learning A meditative mind clearing period to clear your mind concentrates mainly on 9 to 13 Hz frequencies Accelerated Learning 15 Learning Traditional superlearning approach intended to help achieve hyp nogogic state Frequencies ramp mainly in the 4 to 8 Hz range Learning 3 60 Accelerated Learning 60 Similar to above but longer and slower Good for accessing deep states also used by some for light trance induction 4 35 Accelerated Learning 35 Learning Similar to above designed to be used with 30 minute tape CD or other audio sources especially for language study
35. ystem Mandala imagery Most people notice and enjoy the complex shifting mandala like imagery they see behind their closed eyelids during flicker stimula tion Even single color flicker stimulation can generate more than one virtual color But the use of more than one color dramati cally enhances this effect and with all three primary colors now present the effect can be remarkably beautiful helping to transport you to a splendid inner world Red green and blue light waveforms Most of the light sound systems on the market today use a single visual waveform the pulse waveform This switches from maxi mum brightness to off almost instantly Although this can induce more vivid imagery it can also tire the eyes In addition to pulse waveforms the Procyon also offers pure sme which gently and smoothly moves from on to off and rzangle which moves more briskly from on to off modulation 15 Mixing colors phase shifting pulse width modulation A broad range of color mixing effects possible with additional fea tures of the Procyon Phase shifting means that the way in which each colored wave of light mixes with the others changes over time For example if red and green are waving together the col ors mix and produce a perceived yellow color Now imagine that the red starts first followed by the green the overall perceived color starts out as red then transforms first to yellow then to green Now imagine thi
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