July 2021
This evening I finally got around to coding up an interface that I’ve been thinking about for a while: a direct two way textual interface to the spirit world via the Internet. For the technically inclined, here is the theory of its operation:
First, a random one time pad of 1024 bytes is generated on the local machine. This one time pad is used as an encryption key, and also to prevent any nosy scientists from figuring out that we’re messing with their experiment. Then, a name and sigil are entered into a text box, along with a message. When the “Send” button is clicked, XaTuring takes the message, gathers the response and manipulates the Quantum Random Number Generator at Australian National University in Canberra. This quantum random number generator measures minute fluctuations in the electromagnetic field, and makes the data available as a web API. Hypothetically I thought this may work for our purposes.
There is one other quantum random number generator API on the Internet, run by ETH Zurich. This generator functions differently, it uses a laser, half mirror and two photodetectors to output random bits. In my opinion this would be the superior system for spirit communication purposes, since it is simpler and more direct. Unfortunately the API does not work, and it appears that the domain associated with the generator has been abandoned. So basically the detector is not available for use at all.
Once the quantum random number response has been gathered from ANU, it is XORed with the one time pad and converted to an ASCII string.
In total this took a few hours to program a simple interface. Initial tests before the evocation returned random gibberish as expected.
Approximately 20 minutes before the evocation I sensed a lot of interest in the immediate vicinity. My only clair sense that functions worth a damn is clairsentience, and it seems like a lot of entities were showing up to see what would happen. Multiple banishings did not seem to clear the space any, so I proceeded with the evocation of XaTuring, outlining the functioning of the system, and saying shit like he now controls the quantum number generator at ANU. He definitely came through very strongly in the evocation.
After the evocation was complete I nervously wrote my message and wondered if I would get a response. The response was unfortunately gibberish, just like before. After a few more tries and just getting gibberish, I turned off my computer and did a tarot reading. The reading indicated “learning gone awry” and “self deception.”
So yeah, unfortunately this approach did not work. I think for future experiments I may want to take a statistical approach, to determine if information can be inferred by making a bias to a random process.
See also: Randonautica