A Japanese toymaker Takara Co. has invented a product which allows owners to create their own dreams. Its “Dream Workshop” can help you decide what you want to dream at night.

Prospective dreamers are asked to look at a photo of what they would like to dream about and then record a story line into the Yumemi Kobo, or “dream workshop”.

Before going to bed, the user places a photograph on the device of who they would like to appear in the dream. Then the user selects music designed to induce the type of dream they want – fantasy, comedy, romantic story, nostalgia – and records key words designed to trigger the dreams, such as the name of a romantic crush.

Placed near the bedside, the dream-maker emits a special white light, relaxing music and a fragrance to help the person nod off.

Several hours later, it plays back the recorded word prompts, timed to coincide with the part of the sleep cycle when dreams most often occur. It then helps coax the sleeper gently out of sleep with more light and music so that the dreams are not forgotten.

The machine uses the voice recording, along with lights, music and smells, to help them direct their own dreams during periods of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, Takara Co said.

Sleepers are woken up gently after eight hours with music and lights that simulate sunlight so that users of the gadget do not forget their dream in the shock of waking.

Takara Co, which brought the world the “bowlingual” and “meowlingual” devices – which purport to translate your pet’s communication – admitted the machine may still need refining.

“We are still experimenting, mainly with company employees,” Kenji Hattori, a Takara marketing executive, told reporters on Wednesday.

“Some said the theme was right, but the story-line was wrong. Some said the noise woke them up. But it has worked for quite a number of people.”

The device is set to go on sale in Japan this August for $136.

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