Okay, the rules of magic are...
1. You have to meditate and train in order to use it, but anyone can use it after this training
2. You use a word to activate spells (unless you're Suspiria).
3. You gain these words (and thus new spells) by meditating/dreaming
4. You do certain tests to 'level up' as a sorcerer.
5. You have a pool of magic you can use, and when you level up you don't increase the pool, but your ability to use it effectively.
6. You sleep to regain that pool of magic.
So, for some reason, these machines have to work in such a way that all these rules remain true, because we've seen the effects of the rules.
So, you have to train to use the machines.... and using them exhausts you. But the meditating to obtain new spells? The machines commands are connected to some sort of... dreamspace?