Department of Biomedical Engineering, Research Institute of Biomedical Engineering, College of Biomedical & Health Science, Konkuk University, 322 Danwol-dong, Chungju-si, Chungcheongbuk-do, 380-701, South Korea.
Behav Res Methods. 2013 Jun;45(2):364-71. doi: 10.3758/s13428-012-0268-z.
For this study, we developed a magnetic resonance (MR)-compatible vibrotactile stimulator using a planar-coil-type actuator. The newly developed vibrotactile stimulator consists of three units: control unit, drive unit, and planar-coil-type actuator. The control unit controls frequency, intensity, time, and channel, and transfers the stimulation signals to the drive unit. The drive unit operates the planar-coil-type actuator in response to commands from the control unit. The planar-coil-type actuator, which uses a planar coil instead of conventional electric wire, generates vibrating stimulation through interaction of the current of the planar coil with the static magnetic field of the MR scanner. Even though the developed tactile stimulating system is small, simple, and inexpensive, it has a wide range of stimulation frequencies (20 ~ 400 Hz, at 40 levels) and stimulation intensities (0 ~ 7 V, at 256 levels). The stimulation intensity does not change due to frequency changes. Since the transient response time is a few microseconds, the stimulation time can be controlled on a scale of microseconds. In addition, this actuator has the advantages of providing highly repeatable stimulation, being durable, being able to assume various shapes, and having an adjustable contact area with the skin. The new stimulator operated stably in an MR environment without affecting the MR images. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, we observed the brain activation changes resulting from stimulation frequency and intensity changes.
这项研究开发了一种使用平面线圈型致动器的磁共振（MR）兼容振动刺激器。新开发的振动刺激器由三个单元组成：控制单元、驱动单元和平面线圈型致动器。控制单元控制频率、强度、时间和通道，并将刺激信号传输到驱动单元。驱动单元根据控制单元的命令操作平面线圈型致动器。平面线圈型致动器使用平面线圈代替传统电线，通过平面线圈的电流与 MR 扫描仪的静磁场相互作用产生振动刺激。尽管开发的触觉刺激系统体积小、简单且价格低廉，但它具有广泛的刺激频率（20 至 400 Hz，分为 40 个级别）和刺激强度（0 至 7 V，分为 256 个级别）。刺激强度不会因频率变化而改变。由于瞬态响应时间为数微秒，因此可以在微秒范围内控制刺激时间。此外，该致动器具有提供高度可重复刺激、耐用、能够采用各种形状以及可调节与皮肤接触面积的优点。新的刺激器在不影响 MR 图像的情况下在 MR 环境中稳定运行。使用功能磁共振成像，我们观察到了由于刺激频率和强度变化引起的大脑激活变化。
