Firstly - hello to you all. Although I had an electronics kit as a kid, enjoyed taking everything electrical in the house apart and made a few simple circuits etc, electronics is NOT my forte so please be patient with me!

As the title states, I'm hoping to create a device/control unit that produces a particular Pulsed ElectroMagnetic Field (PEMF) for use in "healing" and other health related areas.

I have purchased a similar device but would like to make something similar myself, and who knows, one day manufacturer and market it!! Existing devices are VERY pricey.

The device itself appears relatively simple upon deconstruction ( ) but I believe that I cannot just copy the existing circuitry (not for legal reasons) but because there is a microchip (apologies if very out-dated term) within the unit.

I can take photos and post on here if it helps. But from my limited knowledge I imagine this "brain" is responsible for controlling the time of the "treatment" (from 1 - 32 mins) and the intensity (amplitude?) of the wave (1-10). The wave itself is, from memory, a square wave, but may be a sawtooth, need to check!

The control unit is a small box that allows you to choose time and intensity (as described above) and then there are wires (5mm jack) that plugs in and goes to a blanket on a horse. Within the blanket there are simple wound copper wires. Difficult to describe in text, but 2 dimensional windings of perhaps 15 concentric circles (one wire), which is what produces the electromagnetic field.

The pulsed effect is created by the "brain" pulsing the signal (not sure how often the pulses are (need to confirm from manufacturer) but the frequency is approx 7 Hz, i.e. very reminiscent of the Schumann frequency that surrounds us at all times.

Very fascinating stuff, and have seen great effects on animals (and humans!) this has been used on. Including myself!!

So enough talking from me! Can anyone help me fathom this out so I can see if it is something that can be easily made via a circuit board.

Does the microchip need to be cloned/read? How is that done?

The control unit works via a Li Ion battery (approx 16V).

Thanks for any assistance

 

sounds like a version of a diathermy machine. the chip might be able to be cloned or read, but there are versions that will not allow that. does it work? if so, it may be possible to duplicate the waveforms, frequencies, ect.

 

sounds like a version of a diathermy machine. the chip might be able to be cloned or read, but there are versions that will not allow that. does it work? if so, it may be possible to duplicate the waveforms, frequencies, ect.

Hi - thanks for taking the time to respond.

It is not strictly a diathermy machine because it produces low energy electromagnetic waves (7 Hz) and has no warming effect. The way these machines work is but creating a pulsed wave at this low frequency that stimulates each of the cell membranes of the body to facilitate the entry and exit of required products and waste products respectively within them. There is no heat produced. It is quite fascinating how this works and so obvious and simple when you read into it!

There is lots of information at this website.

Any ideas how I go about cloning the chip? Also, how do I begin to deconstruct and understand the circuit board itself? Take it to an expert?

Cheers

 

Why clone it? You can make a 7Hz sinewave or squarewave oscillator from a cheap chip like a opamp or 555 timer. With a pot to fine tune the frequency.

 

Why clone it? You can make a 7Hz sinewave or squarewave oscillator from a cheap chip like a opamp or 555 timer. With a pot to fine tune the frequency.

That sounds great! I must admit that I would need to go on a very steep learning curve (wave ha ha) to do this myself, or alternatively request assistance from knowledgeable chaps and chapesses like your good selves.

I am happy to work with anyone interested in taking such a project on and of course paying for your services!! If you have the skills and would like to learn more and work with me on this please PM me.

I took apart the control unit again last night and have a picture of it which I will try to attach now. This should give more of an idea of what is involved.

 

Seems an awful lot of ICs on that board just to provide a series of pulses! Even with a fancy display somewhere I wouldn't expect that many. What else is going on?

Re the manufacturing, someone is likely to sue you for infringement of intellectual property rights if you clone their system (or even part of it).

 

You can learn a lot from published patents and patent applications. That's one of the reasons patents are published -to disclose the invention. Learning from them is legitimate. In the United States, you are entitled to build patented inventions without need of a license if it is for educational or personal, non-commercial use. Once you decide to design your own for sale, you will already know what is patented and might not be available to you.

You can start by looking at these patents. There are a lot more available at the U.S. patent office www.uspto.gov and Google Patents.

http://bit.ly/1pDN0N4
http://bit.ly/1pDMZIW
http://bit.ly/1sfPMLR
http://bit.ly/1sfPRz9
http://bit.ly/1sfPQv4
http://bit.ly/1sfPWD8

 

Thanks for this useful information.

With regards to patents, I am not aware of any existing patent that prevents the generation of a system that creates a pulsed electromagnetic wave whether for personal or commercial use. I'm not sure what IP could be granted for creating an electromagnetic field similar to the naturally occurring Earth's magnetic field. I would however need to be careful I am not infringing on any design IP etc as you suggest - thanks.

With regards to what the circuit board also provides. I have used this one a lot and it enables you to programme the length of treatment (1 - 99 mins) and the intensity of the "treatment" from very low (less than 10) up to 120 microTesla incrementally. The waveform itself is not adjustable from the control unit.

The signal is sent via a 5mm Jack (like a large phono socket) that goes to a number of copper coils that are connected in series to one another. I assume it is the number of windings that determines the field and frequency?!?!?

BTW - what does IC stand for (sorry for being dumb).

 

IC = integrated circuit (one of those things with lots of shiny legs).

Interestingly, US20050182287 says "There appears to be no consensus whatsoever as to what flux density levels or frequencies should be employed in electromagnetic therapy."

 

BTW - what does IC stand for (sorry for being dumb).

Integrated Circuit. Here's a link to a definition of integrated circuits.

 

Thanks for this useful information.

With regards to patents, I am not aware of any existing patent that prevents the generation of a system that creates a pulsed electromagnetic wave whether for personal or commercial use. I'm not sure what IP could be granted for creating an electromagnetic field similar to the naturally occurring Earth's magnetic field.

Not to sidetrack the electronics question, but besides the circuit, the commercial use of the emf for the purpose you describe might be patented.

As an example of that principle, a common lab test is measurement of homocysteine (http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/guide/homocysteine-risk). One could patent a method to do that analysis in theory. What has been patented, though, is the use of that result to predict cardiovascular risk. Effectively, that also placed restrictions on measuring that amino acid in blood. It was really quite a legal mess several years ago.

The way the rulings were explained, homocysteine is a composition of nature (not patentable). Its measurement is almost trivial (also probably not patentable). But reduction to practice (i.e., use of the measurement) is patentable.

Therefore, production of an EMF is not a big deal. However, the use you describe on a commercial basis might be protected. It might also be considered a medical device and require FDA clearance. However, as already mentioned, for your own enjoyment and experimentation on yourself, there are probably far fewer potential restrictions.


John

 

Not to sidetrack the electronics question, but besides the circuit, the commercial use of the emf for the purpose you describe might be patented.

As an example of that principle, a common lab test is measurement of homocysteine (http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/guide/homocysteine-risk). One could patent a method to do that analysis in theory. What has been patented, though, is the use of that result to predict cardiovascular risk. Effectively, that also placed restrictions on measuring that amino acid in blood. It was really quite a legal mess several years ago.

The way the rulings were explained, homocysteine is a composition of nature (not patentable). Its measurement is almost trivial (also probably not patentable). But reduction to practice (i.e., use of the measurement) is patentable.

Therefore, production of an EMF is not a big deal. However, the use you describe on a commercial basis might be protected. It might also be considered a medical device and require FDA clearance. However, as already mentioned, for your own enjoyment and experimentation on yourself, there are probably far fewer potential restrictions.


John

Thank you for looking into this. I am looking at the use of this in the UK (or other areas of Europe) and although it may be classed as an electronic device under certain European Directive(s), it is not a medical device as it is intended for use in animals and the Medical Device Directive is only intended for devices for human use.

As for patenting the use of a pulsed emf I am happy to run the risk

 

there sure have been quite a few questions about the 7 to 8 hz range of em lately. one even to make music sound better in a room.

 

there sure have been quite a few questions about the 7 to 8 hz range of em lately. one even to make music sound better in a room.

7 to 8 Hz is very similar to the natural frequency that surrounds us at all times. Our body interacts with this magnetic field in everything we do and is vital for humans to survive. Hence the stories of when astronauts originally travelled into space without an electromagnetic field to interact with their bodies started to fail!

We digress though.

 

Since we now know you are proposing to use this kit in the UK or Europe, it is unlikely that Patents would prevent your using it. UK patent law states:

"Methods of treatment or diagnosis
(1) A patent shall not be granted for the invention of—
(a) a method of treatment of the human or animal body by surgery or therapy, or
(b) a method of diagnosis practised on the human or animal body."

However, it then goes on to state:
"(2)Subsection (1) above does not apply to an invention consisting of a substance or composition for use in any such method."

It could be argued that your kit is a 'composition' within the terms of the legislation, so valid UK patents might exist to protect some aspects of the kit itself.

European patents law has similar provisions to UK law.

 

Since we now know you are proposing to use this kit in the UK or Europe, it is unlikely that Patents would prevent your using it. UK patent law states:

"Methods of treatment or diagnosis
(1) A patent shall not be granted for the invention of—
(a) a method of treatment of the human or animal body by surgery or therapy, or
(b) a method of diagnosis practised on the human or animal body."

However, it then goes on to state:
"(2)Subsection (1) above does not apply to an invention consisting of a substance or composition for use in any such method."

It could be argued that your kit is a 'composition' within the terms of the legislation, so valid UK patents might exist to protect some aspects of the kit itself.

European patents law has similar provisions to UK law.

Thanks for this. I would need to understand the interpretation of "composition" for this as it isn't clear and appears rather vague.

 

There is one thing I forgot to mention in my description of the PEMF system. I am certain it applies to both the human and animal versions I use, whereby every 2 minutes of the treatment the polarity of the field produced flips from North to South.

How that is achieved I have no idea but I can't imagine it is overly complicated.

 

I would need to understand the interpretation of "composition" for this as it isn't clear and appears rather vague.

To paraphrase the UK/Euro law: methods of therapy aren't patentable but apparatus for it can be (subject to novelty and non-obviousness requirements).

I can't imagine it is overly complicated.

Easily doable.