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From: larry@kitty.UUCP (Larry Lippman)
Newsgroups: sci.med,sci.electronics
Subject: Re: electric sleep
Summary: Hewlett-Packard marketed such a device over 20 years ago
Message-ID: <2548@kitty.UUCP>
Date: 5 Jun 88 22:00:30 GMT
References: <22@<1801> <21500051@uiucdcsm>
Sender: nobody@sunybcs.UUCP
Organization: Recognition Research Corp., Clarence, NY
Lines: 42

In article <21500051@uiucdcsm>, kenny@uiucdcsm.cs.uiuc.edu writes:
>> I would like to know if there is anyone who has any information on the
>> use of very low voltage and current to induce sleep.
> 
> It's not *just* fiction; I knew a guy who was experimenting with it
> and built a testbed device roughly twelve years ago.  Unfortunately,
> I wasn't that interested in it at the time, and never got any
> references from him.  Anyone else heard of this idea?

	Hewlett-Packard actually marketed such a device for a couple of
years, starting in 1966; it was the H-P 3380B Electroanesthesia Instrument.
As the name implies, it was intended for the induction of anesthesia
(more correctly, analgesia and narcosis) by electrical means.  The device
was intended for experimental use on animals ONLY, and was NEVER intended
for use on humans.  Human use, however, was to be a logical extension of
animal research.
	The device put out a dual sinewave, with a fixed low frequency
component of 100 Hz, and a variable high frequency component of 700 to
10,000 Hz.  The output was an adjustable, constant current supply with
a maximum of 100 mA RMS.  Connection to the subject was through needle
electrodes, inserted subcutaneously, or intramuscularly.
	I actually worked with this device around 1967 when I was a
research associate in a university biomedical research lab.  Since,
at the time, I was the only EE/biochemist at the facility, I was
"elected" to evaluate the device on dogs and write a paper about it.
The results were very unreliable, unpredictable and discouraging.  This
is probably why nothing became of the technology for veterinary use -
let alone eventual use on humans.
	I still have my research notes, data from H-P, and bibliography,
in case anyone is really interested.
	I don't recommend any "home experiments" on this topic.

	I would be curious to see any comments from someone at H-P, if
they are able to find out what H-P's conclusion was concerning the
instrument.  I left the academic community in 1970, so I have been
out of touch as to whether any further development effort occurred
in this area.

<>  Larry Lippman @ Recognition Research Corp., Clarence, New York
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