Out of Body Experience by VR

The latest issue of Science has three research texts on out of body experience (OBE) being induced or simulated by virtual reality technology. The idea of being able to experience sensory perception from outside the physical body seems to have created a wave of interest in the press:

Scientists have induced the age-old phenomenon of out-of-body experiences in healthy volunteers for the first time.

The technique, which uses a virtual-reality-style set up of cameras linked to a head-mounted video display, will help researchers understand how the brain assimilates sensory information to determine the position of its body.

The technique could also improve virtual reality games and remote surgery by creating the illusion that a person is somewhere other than in their own body.The Guardian

An out of body experience is

an experience that typically involves a sensation of floating outside of one's body and, in some cases, seeing one's physical body from a place outside one's body (autoscopy). About one in ten people claim to have had an out-of-body experience at some time in their lives.

In some cases the phenomenon appears to occur spontaneously; in others it is associated with a near-death experience, use of psychedelic drugs, or a dream-like state. It is possible to induce the experience deliberately, for example through visualization while in a relaxed, meditative state. Recent studies have shown that experiences somewhat similar to OBEs can be induced by direct brain stimulation. Relatively little is known for sure about OBEs. Wikipedia

The articles in Science are

The Experimental Induction of Out-of-Body Experiences
H. Henrik Ehrsson
Visual and sensory stimuli that mimic subjects viewing themselves from a distance produced a center of awareness (or sense of self) outside their bodies.


Video Ergo Sum: Manipulating Bodily Self-Consciousness
Bigna Lenggenhager, Tej Tadi, Thomas Metzinger, and Olaf Blanke
Visual and sensory stimuli that mimic subjects viewing themselves from a distance produced a center of awareness (or sense of self) outside their bodies.


Out-of-Body Experiences Enter the Laboratory
Greg Miller
Out-of-body experiences are associated more with tabloid newspapers, New Age Web sites, and large doses of hallucinogenic drugs than serious scientific discussion. Yet they're often reported by reputable people who suffer from migraine headaches, epilepsy, and other neurological conditions. Intrigued by such accounts, some researchers are trying to figure out how the brain creates an aspect of human consciousness so fundamental that we take it for granted: the perception that the "self" conforms to the borders of the physical body.