Subdermal Magnetic Implants: An Experimental Study

ABSTRACT

In this paper, we consider the use of permanent implanted magnets inserted into an individual’s fingers as a form of human computer interface, the magnets being excited by an external coil. Tests involving amplitude detection, amplitude discrimination, frequency discrimination, temporal discrimination, and temporal gap detection were performed on implanted subjects. As a comparison the same tests were performed on individuals who had identical magnets attached to the outside of their skin. Results indicated that much smaller stimulation currents were required to achieve a sensitivity response in the implanted subjects. It is apparent that different corpuscles are affected by complex signals at different frequencies and this has a considerable effect on the results obtained and hence on the type of stimulation that can best be applied.

KEYWORDS:

• Amplitude detection
• amplitude discrimination
• frequency discrimination
• psychometrics
• psychophysics
• quest
• subdermal magnetic implants
• temporal discrimination
• temporal gap detection
• temporal numerosity discrimination

Additional information

Funding

Nissan Motor Co. Ltd are to be acknowledged for providing funding for the first named author during his Ph. D. studies. This research was granted ethical approval by the University of Reading’s research and ethics committee.