Magnetic Nerve Stimulator Improvements

The emerging technology of magnetic induction nerve stimulation (MINS) has significantadvantages over other nerve stimulation alternatives. It requires no skin preparation, can be used fordeep nerve stimulation (through the skull), is non-invasive, safe, and painless. Its major shortcoming hasbeen the quality of the induced stimulus signal. Its point-of-stimulus is often very indistinct. Thisresearch program proposes a concept for greatly improving the quality of the induced signals. Usinghighly accurate coils, this program will seek to determine if custom-designed waveforms can beproduced to take advantage of these new coils. The research will examine the feasibility of developingcontrolled current waveshapes at peak currents of about 10,000 amperes. These coil currentwaveforms will be used to produce' "pure monopolar", "symmetric bipolar", and "burst mode" inducedsignals for the first time. Successful achievement of our research goals would permit MINS units (foroffice use), for the first time, to be used for accurate nerve latency measurements, polarity sensitivecortical stimulation, and improved measurement of the neuromuscular junction.