Biphasic Electrical Nerve Stimulator for Medical Applications Generating a Wide Range of Pulse Specifications Without Microcontroller

초록

We present an improved biphasic electrical nerve stimulator designed to overcome limitations. Traditional electrical nerve stimulators lacking a microcontroller unit (MCU) have restrictions in terms of frequency, pulse duration, and amplitude control, making them insufficient for medical applications requiring a broader range of pulse specifications. To address this, we developed a stimulator with enhanced capabilities. By not using an MCU, the design reduces power consumption and the required area, simplifying the overall design and increasing efficiency. In addition, our approach opti- mizes oscillator parameters to achieve wide frequency and pulse duration ranges. Specifically, we expanded the frequency range of the stimulator up to from 1 mHz to 100 kHz and the pulse duration up to from 5 μs to 500 s. Improved amplitude control mechanisms were implemented for adjustable and high biphasic amplitudes. Furthermore, we added a balancing circuit to ensure proper discharging for tissue safety when biphasic pulses do not occur. The improved stimulator demon- strated an increase in operational range compared to traditional MCU-less designs, producing consistent biphasic pulses with adjustable amplitude and duration. The balancing circuit effectively managed discharging, reducing the risk of tissue damage and ensuring safety and efficacy.

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