title: A compatible electrocutaneous display for functional magnetic resonance imaging application.
abstract: In this paper we propose an MR (magnetic resonance) compatible electrocutaneous stimulator able to inject an electric current, variable in amplitude and frequency, into the fingertips in order to elicit tactile skin receptors (mechanoreceptors). The desired goal is to evoke specific tactile sensations selectively stimulating skin receptors by means of an electric current in place of mechanical stimuli. The field of application ranges from functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) tactile studies to augmented reality technology. The device here proposed is designed using safety criteria in order to comply with the threshold of voltage and current permitted by regulations. Moreover, MR safety and compatibility criteria were considered in order to perform experiments inside the MR scanner during an fMRI acquisition for functional brain activation analysis. Psychophysical laboratory tests are performed in order to define the different evoked tactile sensation. After verifying the device MR safety and compatibility on a phantom, a test on a human subject during fMRI acquisition is performed to visualize the brain areas activated by the simulated tactile sensation.
authors.affiliation: Interdepartmental Research Center E. Piaggio, University of Pisa, Italy. valeh@ifc.cnr.it
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Hartwig
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cappelli
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Vanello
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ricciardi
authors.forename: E P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Scilingo
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Giovannetti
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Santarelli
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Positano
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pietrini
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Landini
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bicchi
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D001931:Brain Mapping / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D004558:Electric Stimulation / Q000379:methods*; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D005073:Evoked Potentials, Somatosensory / Q000502:physiology*; D005385:Fingers / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D014110:Touch / Q000502:physiology*