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The Milton Bradley Machine © Oliver Drew 2003

In 2003 I devised the Milton Bradley Machine. This was a machine for fans of computer games to extend the experience into the spiritual realm.

As a proof of concept, this machine would’ve allowed users to play ‘Battleships’ with a ghost. After failing to secure funds from my bank, I recently pitched it to the producers of Dragons’ Den, but they refused to let me on the show on the grounds that it would cost £5 million to build.

In a final act of desperation, I built a concept machine in my shed out of an old lawn mower, but it was only powerful enough to play the one game against a sixteenth century poltergeist, which I lost.

The Ectogoogle © Oliver Drew 2008

In 2008 I was trying to find the name of a ghost that was haunting the local library, but having no luck. Then it hit me. If I want to find something in reality I just google it. Why not create something that allowed you to search the spiritual realm?

That’s when I came up with the ectogoogle. It’s such a beautifully simple idea, I couldn’t believe that someone hadn’t done it already.*

The first of many issues arose when it struck me that maybe lost souls didn’t use the internet. Or did they? People talk of ‘the ghost in the machine’… people always say that their computers ‘have a life of their own’ and physics has shown that we are all made up of pure information. So I proceeded on the assumption that they do and spent three months on the blueprints.

Unfortunately that assumption was false. So I sold the designs to a well known footballer who I cannot name.

*I also considered a Facebook for ghosts, but that seemed unfair on headless horsemen.

Ripper Goggles © Oliver Drew 2009

It took me two years to build these goggles which use Augmented Reality in the lenses to recreate the atmosphere of Whitechapel in 1888.

Anyone who comes on my specialised Ripper Terror Tour is asked to wear them to see Jack the Ripper chase them through the streets as if they’re his next victim.

The aim is to escape but not many do, and when they get caught blood runs down the lenses obscuring the view and making them feel like they’ve been murdered old skool style!

I only run it late at night and people do seem to get really spooked, lots don’t make it to the end. The screaming sometimes attracts the wrong kind of attention but I’ve never been arrested.

I had some problems with the Beta version which people claimed was too realistic. At the moment I’m hoping the case won’t make it to court and redesigning them a bit.

This summer I worked with one of my best friends, and one of the greatest current comics writers – Jenny Randolph, to turn her popular online comic series – Zombie Killers into an Alternate Reality Game in Camden.

It involved a few amateur actors (mainly my mates) in Zombie garb and gruesome make-up chasing participants around town.

I used altered laser-quest equipment as a tagging device, to work out who had ‘died’ the most, which was very effective. The only problem is that participants complained that the equipment was quite heavy, and so it was quite difficult to run from the quickest zombies.

It was also unfortunate that our pilot coincided with the London Riots.

I’m going to take a break from this project for a while, as suggested by the police, although I’d like to emphasize once more that we weren’t purposefully trying to frighten people – it was only a game.

I’ve also had to take down the Twitter account for the time being, pending further enquiries. Thanks for your patience guys.

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