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The Hallucination Machine will give you a very realistic trip

DeepDream is changing the way we see things

Scientists have been working on technology that causes hallucinations, with no mind-altering substances to be seen.

People might still be trying to find a 40-year-old stash of LSD, but a team of researchers from Sussex University have opted for Virtual Reality and Google’s DeepDream system over acid for a 'trip'.

Apparently 12 volunteers experienced visuals similar to those caused by psilocybin - the ingredient in magic mushrooms - after being shown a panoramic video - altered by Deepdream - of the Sussex Uni campus, according to International Business Times.

DeepDream is described as a tool that "uses a convolutional neural network to find and enhance patterns in images."

Researchers said: "Overall, the Hallucination Machine provides a powerful new tool to complement the resurgence of research into altered states of consciousness."

Read the full study here.

Dave Turner is Mixmag's Digital News Editor, follow him on Twitter