IMPROVEMENTS TO MAGNETIC INDUCTION NERVE STIMULATION

THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS RESEARCH IS TO IMPROVE THE LOCATION PRECISION OF MAGNETIC INDUCTION NERVE STIMULUS TECHNOLOGY SO THAT THIS PAINLESS, NON-INVASIVE TECHNIQUE CAN REPLACE THE USE OF NEEDLE ELECTRODES AND SURFACE ELECTRODES FOR NERVE CONDUCTION MEASUREMENTS. DURING PHASE I IMPROVED STIMULUS COILS AND PULSE STIMULATOR WAVEFORMS WILL BE DEVELOPED AND TESTED. NEW INNOVATIVE COIL CONFIGURATIONS WILL BE USED TO SOLVE WHAT IS CURRENTLY THE MAJOR OBSTACLE TO MORE WIDESPREAD USE OF THIS TECHNOLOGY. THE DATA TAKEN SHOULD PROVIDE A JUSTIFICATION FOR PROCEEDING INTO A PHASE II PROGRAM INVOLVING HUMAN TESTING AND DEVELOPMENT OF A COMPLETE, PRECISE, STANDALONE, MAGNETIC COIL NERVE STIMULATOR. THE SUCCESS OF THIS PROJECT IN SOLVING THE STIMULUS ACCURACYPROBLEM WILL PERMIT THIS TECHNIQUE TO REPLACE MANY APPLICATIONS OF SKIN-PIERCING NEEDLE ELECTRODES OR HIGH VOLTAGE SURFACE ELECTRODES. RESEARCHERS AND NEUROLOGISTS WILL HAVE A SAFER, PAINLESS, NON-INVASIVE, DIAGNOSTIC TOOL THAT CAN MAKE NERVE LATENCY MEASUREMENTS AN ALMOST ROUTINE PROCEDURE.