How to implement a real-time Kirlian image on computer monitor

[otto9otto]

Remember colorful Kirlian images people's fingers and plant leaves? Popular in the '70's, these were generated by placing color film (inside a dark envelope) between your finger tip and a metal plate that is pulsed with high voltage. Corona discharge generated a beautiful aura-like image. That was 30 years ago. Now let's do this real-time and display on computer monitor. Another intriguing twist to this is the research reported by Professor William Tiller at

http://tillerfoundation.com/subtle-energies.html

where he states that it is relatively easy to mentally influence the breakdown voltage of a gas.

Imagine a grid of sensing wires, arranged in an x-y pattern. Sandwiched between the x and y plane is a substance that is driven almost to the breakdown point by potential difference between the x and y wires. A single x and y pair causing near breakdown would be one pixel of data. An image is generated by energizing all of the x-y combinations in a sweeping pattern. Energizing current is used to determine pixel intensity. I am sure there are other approaches to implement this concept. Do you have different idea or an embellishment of this one?

 

[VEBill]

"...mentally influence the breakdown voltage..."

Visions of Professor Tiller wearing a grid of wires on his head.

"Okay, now apply the high voltage..."

 

[felixc]

It make me think about the Theremin, how magic it was.

 

[kontiki99]

It's interesting. There is an out of print book out there, I think entitled "Mind Race." I owned a copy once.

It describes the experiments on remote viewing that the CIA funded at Stanford way back when.

One person was the on site viewer, and someone back in a lab was trying to recieve the images.

It was being explored as a way to spy on the Ruskies during the Cold War.

I guess that's kind of a Stanford thing.

 

[MacGyverS2000]

I believe that was called the Stargate program...


Dan - Owner

http://www.Hi-TecDesigns.com

 

[Skogsgurra]

I can only guess, but I think that otto hibernated just after the Flower Power period and now wakes up somewhere in CA and thinks that it would be great to harness new technology to make nice pics of a marihuana leaf.

The picture in the OP is not a simple "aura" picture. It has been manipulated quite a lot.

First, a Kirlian photograph doesn't show the object in natural colours.

Second, the nerve system of the leaf has been enhanced, using Photoshop or a similar program. Colours seem to have been manipulated as well.

So, why not do it all in Photoshop? No need for kludges and semi-lethal electric grids or other contraptions. 100 % SW and 0 % HW - isn't that what we all want?


Gunnar Englund

http://www.gke.org

--------------------------------------
100 % recycled posting: Electrons, ideas, finger-tips have been used over and over again...

 

[otto9otto]

Hi Gunnar, I have taken such photos and you are correct, the green does not show up. I probably should have posted a more unretouched photo, which are similar, just not green. Leaf veins do show up given the right conditions - it is tricky. I used an automobile spark coil driven by a 555 oscillator-power transistor combination. The film needs to be emulsion side up, also.

Anyway, regardless of the tinfoil hat implications, this would be just plain neat to do. And I guarantee surprises.

 

[geekEE]

The latest Make: magazine (O'Reilly Media) has an article on how to take Kirlian photos with a digital camera rather than film (so old school!).