Project Description
Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a noninvasive procedure used to stimulate areas of the brain for medical and therapeutic purposes. Stimulation occurs by generating and focusing a large magnetic field in close proximity to the brain. This field is used to induce electric currents that stimulate nerve cells in the region of your brain related to mood control and depression. In 2008, a TMS device was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for treatment of depression.
The magnetic fields used in TMS applications are pulsed at very short time intervals. A high current pulse is sent through an electromagnetic coil to create these fields. The goal of this Senior Design team is to create a device that can deliver such a pulse. This device will have controllable parameters (such as pulse width and amplitude) and will be able to manage inductive loads.
Our team was given a pulse generator device that was built by one of our advisors, graduate student Robert Bouda. This device has limited ability to control pulse parameters such as amplitude and width. Also, the amplitude of the pulse does not meet the client’s needs; a higher output is desired. The output is only a monophasic pulse, meaning that the current through the load is always the same sign. For this device, the output current is always a positive pulse. Contrarily, a biphasic pulse consists of a positive pulse transitioning to a negative pulse (e.g. one period of a sine wave). Our project aims to build a new device that has a higher output current, better control of pulse parameters, and the ability to deliver both monophasic and biphasic pulses.
Through analysis of the previous device, we can determine the steps needed to implement the desired changes. Our main focuses will be:
· Researching new components that can produce and handle the higher current effectively
· Exploring methods and designs to deliver biphasic pulses
· Load testing to determine how the pulse parameters can be controlled and the best method to control them
Developing these solutions will rely on our understanding of the previous device and also our willingness to experiment with new ideas. The process of continuously redesigning and testing will be key to our project’s success.
The magnetic fields used in TMS applications are pulsed at very short time intervals. A high current pulse is sent through an electromagnetic coil to create these fields. The goal of this Senior Design team is to create a device that can deliver such a pulse. This device will have controllable parameters (such as pulse width and amplitude) and will be able to manage inductive loads.
Our team was given a pulse generator device that was built by one of our advisors, graduate student Robert Bouda. This device has limited ability to control pulse parameters such as amplitude and width. Also, the amplitude of the pulse does not meet the client’s needs; a higher output is desired. The output is only a monophasic pulse, meaning that the current through the load is always the same sign. For this device, the output current is always a positive pulse. Contrarily, a biphasic pulse consists of a positive pulse transitioning to a negative pulse (e.g. one period of a sine wave). Our project aims to build a new device that has a higher output current, better control of pulse parameters, and the ability to deliver both monophasic and biphasic pulses.
Through analysis of the previous device, we can determine the steps needed to implement the desired changes. Our main focuses will be:
· Researching new components that can produce and handle the higher current effectively
· Exploring methods and designs to deliver biphasic pulses
· Load testing to determine how the pulse parameters can be controlled and the best method to control them
Developing these solutions will rely on our understanding of the previous device and also our willingness to experiment with new ideas. The process of continuously redesigning and testing will be key to our project’s success.