Small continuously vibrating object required

[SonicHedgeHog]

WTF!? I hear you all say. All will make sense.

A Microsoft employee has developed a wrist watch that vibrates for a friend who has Parkinson’s Disease. The watch’s vibration interrupts the tremors caused by the disease and effectively disturbs the feedback loop between the vibrating muscles and the brain. This in turn reduces the tremors.

The watch is not available for sale but I would like to try and make one for my father in law for Christmas. The problem is I’m not an electronic engineer and so need to buy off the shelf components.

So, can anyone recommend a watch sized object object I could attach a strap or band to that might do the job? The best thought I had was something from a sex toy, but I need to be careful as my father in law may get into trouble if he has a vibrating dildo permanently attached to his wrist.

If the size is an issue I was thinking that something that fits in an armband designed for iPods might work. The kind of thing people use in the gym.

Anyway, anyone got any bright ideas?

[randlemarcus]

One of the cheap smart watches, and develop and app for it that makes the built in wrist mounted vibration device go bzzzzzz all the time?

[SonicHedgeHog]

That was fast! Not a bad idea at all. Perhaps get one with a vibrating alarm that buzzes continuously? Good idea

[Gary C]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/10pcs-DC-3V-Pager-Cell-...

[thebraketester]

Search eBay for “12v vibrator”

Lots of massage seat vibrators pop up. Compact and should be fairly powerful.

[motco]

thebraketester said:

Search eBay for “12v vibrator”

Lots of massage seat vibrators pop up. Compact and should be fairly powerful.

He's not looking for an electric butt plug!

Good luck OP, it sounds like a device that might have a future.

[TooLateForAName]

Interesting.

Does the existing device run continuously or does it detect tremors and run when things get bad?

[rich350z]

My daughter has some small toys called Num Noms they are round and are about 50mm in diameter. They have small batteries in them and vibrate. You could use the mechanism to do what you are describing.

[SonicHedgeHog]

TooLateForAName said:

Interesting.

Does the existing device run continuously or does it detect tremors and run when things get bad?

Not sure. I guess it depends on how bad the tremors are. Some people would need it running all the time. My father in law’s symptoms aren’t too bad so he can control the tremors by flexing his fingers. At this initial stage I just want to test if by wearing a constantly vibrating device he can reduce or stop the tremors. If so I can then add another component to my device that detects the tremors and activate the vibrator. While I can’t make something as swish as Microsoft’s Emma Watch I should be able to replicate the effect.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/project/p...

I’ve ordered several different motors as recommended above. Only a few quid from China. Still very interested in other ideas though.

[4Q]

Electric toothbrush or a Gillette fusion razor without the blade on?

[SonicHedgeHog]

rich350z said:

My daughter has some small toys called Num Noms they are round and are about 50mm in diameter. They have small batteries in them and vibrate. You could use the mechanism to do what you are describing.

Do they look like modern day Weebles? Had a quick look at can’t find any mention of them vibrating. Got any further info? Can you tell I don’t have kids?

[SonicHedgeHog]

4Q said:

Electric toothbrush or a Gillette fusion razor without the blade on?

Clever idea. The Gillette runs on AAAs so I could get a batch of rechargeables to keep the running cost down. 👍

[Andrew_S]

Are you searching for something like this:

https://feeldoppel.com/

[SonicHedgeHog]

Andrew_S said:

Are you searching for something like this:

https://feeldoppel.com/

That looks really good. Especially the feature that allows the vibrations to be adjusted. Also considerably more user friendly that the pneumatic drill connected to a milk float battery design I was working on. Bit pricy but worth a go.

[Drumroll]

Without going down the "smutty route" have you looked at sex toys?

[MDMA .]

https://www.adafruit.com/product/1201

[Far Cough]

Would a "Tens" machine give you a similar effect or as it specifically vibrations ?

[bazza white]

Would a high frequency TENS machine work.

[rash_decision]

Going to Ann Summers, or buying a sex toy online and stripping it for the vibrating device inside, this would be perfect, if you could then make it work in conjunction with one of these silicone style watch straps you can but for a Fit-Bit or similar.

Edited by rash_decision on Wednesday 14th November 10:27

[bazza white]

rash_decision said:

This might sound ridiculous, but have you thought about going to Ann Summers, or buying a sex toy online and stripping it for the vibrating device inside?? This would be perfect, if you could then make it work in conjunction with one of these silicone style watch straps you can but for a Fit-Bit or similar.

To add you can get tiny capsule size vibrating bits you add/remove to sex toys. Use button batteries i think. Place under a neoprene wrist band and it may work.