Vader's telepathic link to his stomach

It's sweltering in the Manchester University psychology department office and I am about to get kitted out like Darth Vader.

First, I pull on the black "data glove" with electronic sensors along the fingers to detect movement. Then a special armband with a similar function is strapped to my elbow joint and an audio receiver is hooked on to my ear.

Finally, I don the imposing mask with its prominent visor as I prepare to enter another dimension.

I am taking part in an experiment that could help scientists prove whether people possess telepathic powers.

David Wilde, a psychology research assistant, and Toby Howard, a computer science lecturer, explain the thinking behind the research, which is being presented at a Parapsychology Association conference in Stockholm this week.

The helmet and other paraphernalia are hooked up to a computer that creates for the wearer a virtual reality 3-D world.

In this environment, one person is shown a randomly generated object and tries to "send" it by power of thought to someone else togged up like Darth Vader's brother sitting in another room. As the "receiver", this person must try to pick out the object presented in a line with three decoys.

Mr Howard said: "By creating a virtual world we are creating a completely objective environment that makes it impossible for participants to leave signals, or even unconscious clues, as to which object they have chosen."

One hundred people, some related or acquainted and others complete strangers, have taken part in the £49,000 project. The data have yet to be analysed, but already there have been hints that telepathy may be possible.

Bernard Strutt and Mahalia Rimmer, who work in the external affairs office at the university's School of Computer Science, were sceptical until they apparently read each other's minds and both picked the correct object first time.

Mr Strutt said: "Whether I got it right because I was sent a telepathic message, I don't know. I wouldn't say I am converted, but I will be keen to see the full results."

Can I replicate these results?

My helmet is activated and I see four boxes containing objects floating towards me. There's a toilet, a phone, a football and a toaster.

In another room, Simon Hunter, the university press officer, is trying to transmit one of the objects to me.

At first, I get nothing. The toilet beckons, but that may just be nature calling. Now I get a gut feeling about the toaster. I am 80 per cent sure that must be it, so I make my choice. I am wrong. It was the toilet, after all.

"You have experienced a 'Psy-miss'," Mr Wilde explained.

Then, like a message across the ether, the reason comes to me. I missed breakfast.

The academics expect to analyse the full results of the study in the next few weeks.