Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

ECE Professor Vincent Harris was awarded a patent for his "Device and method for deep transcranial magnetic stimulation".


Abstract Source: USPTO

Devices and methods for directing a magnetic field into a body party of a subject are provided. The devices include at least one electromagnetic coil, a magnetic core or yoke, and a pair of flux concentrators. The flux concentrators are separated by a gap into which the body part fits and through which the flux concentrators focus the magnetic field. The devices allow magnetic fields to be transmitted through the gap with higher intensity at greater distances from the device than possible with previous designs. The methods of using such devices allow the delivery of magnetic fields with higher intensity to the interior of a body part without exposing interposed proximal regions to magnetic fields of unduly high intensity. The devices and methods are useful for deep transcranial magnetic stimulation of the brain to treat various medical conditions.

Related Faculty: Vincent G. Harris

Related Departments:Electrical & Computer Engineering