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Epilepsy is a relatively common condition that affects the brain. Over 600,000 people in the UK have epilepsy. That’s about one in every 100 people. There are around 60 million people with epilepsy in the world. Up to 3% of people with epilepsy can have seizures that are triggered, particularly for under 18s, by flashing lights (called photosensitive epilepsy).
There are many myths and misconceptions surrounding epilepsy and photosensitive epilepsy, and the condition is still an active and ongoing area of research. Most people with epilepsy do not have seizures triggered by flashing lights, but advice from expert consultants indicates that the combination of effects used in the High Sensory Dreamachine experience could have the potential to trigger a seizure for some people with epilepsy, and importantly, that the risk of an adverse reaction is increased if you have epilepsy. To protect the wellbeing of our visitors and our staff, we were only able to admit adults who do not have epilepsy or any known sensitivity to flashing lights, loud sounds or high sensory environments.
We continue to consult with epilepsy advisors, including specialists from UCL and Stanford University Medical Center, to design the Dreamachine experience. As the project is one of the first times an experience of this nature has been realised on this scale, we take all necessary precautions to support our visitors and our staff. Dreamachine provides an opportunity for further research and discussion around epilepsy, and if you would like to contact us to discuss this, please get in touch.
We have designed two additional experiences to make the Dreamachine as accessible as possible, and to ensure those with epilepsy can take part and enjoy the experience. The Deep Listening Dreamachine experience is an immersive 360 degree surround sound audio experience, with a gentle lightscape that does not contain fast flashing lights. It has been designed and developed to ensure that Dreamachine is as accessible as possible to those who may have sensitivities to strobe lighting or high sensory environments. The Deep Listening Dreamachine experience has been designed and developed by the same creative team, and with the same rigour and artistic integrity as the High Sensory Dreamachine experience.
All Dreamachine experiences are also available as a Relaxed experience. This means a relaxed attitude to noise and movement, where you can freely enter and exit the live experience when needed. This is suitable for anyone who would benefit from a more informal setting.