Forum - Recent Threads

RE: Relax-a-Cizor, Medical Quackery or Just Ahead of its Time?

Burnt_Up — Tue, 09 Apr 2024 00:00:42 GMT

Honestly I've heard of a few of the first ones I mean the Easter party I've known of they actually still have these occasionally not necessarily with the machine but yes. And some of the other things are quite obvious and where they came from and what they became as far as the modern stuff not really into it that much but some of the other things I have experimented with is a violet wand and many different pieces for it wardenburg Wheels etc

Relax-a-Cizor, Medical Quackery or Just Ahead of its Time?

korn — Sun, 14 Oct 2018 19:07:52 GMT

Anybody have any "Medical" devices in the attic?

Ever look at how they work?

I used to have a Diathermy machine and a weird high voltage stimulator that used gas filled tubes.

I worked at a hospital and dealt with "Real" equipment but I'm still amazed at what oddball stuff will sell....

I have a couple of Tens devices and never gave them much thought. Never used them either....

Then this thing...

[View:/resized-image/__size/620x465/__key/communityserver-discussions-components-files/6/3365.contentimage_5F00_134136.jpg:620:465]

[View:/resized-image/__size/620x465/__key/communityserver-discussions-components-files/6/6507.contentimage_5F00_134137.jpg:620:465]

[View:/resized-image/__size/620x465/__key/communityserver-discussions-components-files/6/4454.contentimage_5F00_134138.jpg:620:465]

I have this Relax-A-Cizor that I had to open up and have a look at.

The lower section still has the pads so I guess thats off to the trash.....

[View:/resized-image/__size/620x827/__key/communityserver-discussions-components-files/6/2311.contentimage_5F00_134139.jpg:620:827]

I opened it up to have a quick look. When I have time I want to put it on the bench and have a look at the output on a scope. While I'm at it I have to try a couple of the new Tens units on the scope. Didn't expect to see tubes. and even branded relax-a-cizor tubes...

[View:/resized-image/__size/620x465/__key/communityserver-discussions-components-files/6/0257.contentimage_5F00_134140.jpg:620:465]

[View:/resized-image/__size/620x465/__key/communityserver-discussions-components-files/6/2476.contentimage_5F00_134141.jpg:620:465]

[View:/resized-image/__size/620x465/__key/communityserver-discussions-components-files/6/6518.contentimage_5F00_134142.jpg:620:465]

Really weird how they use a motor to drive a cam to pulse the outputs. Then again thats how the Old Mercury Cougar sequential tail lights worked so I guess is period correct.....

[View:/resized-image/__size/620x465/__key/communityserver-discussions-components-files/6/3465.contentimage_5F00_134143.jpg:620:465]

Simple output controls...

[View:/resized-image/__size/620x465/__key/communityserver-discussions-components-files/6/6683.contentimage_5F00_134144.jpg:620:465]

Nothing looks to bad so time to put it on a Variac and see what happens...

RE: Relax-a-Cizor, Medical Quackery or Just Ahead of its Time?

dougw — Sat, 30 Mar 2024 23:22:55 GMT

It sounds like a horrendous experience. Do you have an electronics background?

Have you ever heard of these instruments?

https://www.cbc.ca/news/multimedia/quirky-curiosities-medical-instruments-from-our-past-1.3678010

https://www.cio.com/article/250402/162556-21-weird-and-wacky-wearables-youll-actually-want.html

https://medicalfuturist.com/the-weirdest-digital-health-tech/

RE: Relax-a-Cizor, Medical Quackery or Just Ahead of its Time?

Burnt_Up — Sat, 30 Mar 2024 22:50:28 GMT

Okay I highly doubt there's any chance but I'm curious on whether or not you found or did the experience with the oscillator how many hertz the relaxacizer does. Also out of curiosity do you have any spares of this device I only ask because honestly I lost everything between two fires and that was the last item really that I had to remember my grandmother was her unit . I know obviously it won't be the same unit but I'd actually like to get one I actually also used it in the '80s when I was a early teen. It would be cool to have a working unit like what my grandmother had and honestly you're the first person I seen with a picture of the six electrode unit. I would deal with a smaller unit but I like the quack electrical devices I had this and a violet wand lol. My name is burnt up because the last fire I lost both legs 40% of my body and burns half my right hand and 4 months in a coma still recovering. I hope to hear back from you I'll be surprised if I do.

POLL What UV-C disinfection application interests you most?

rscasny — Wed, 20 Jul 2022 13:56:48 GMT

UV-C disinfection is not new, but "touch free" disinfection has gained steam today as the spread of Covid-19, bird flu, and other illnesses are sweeping the globe. The development of UV LEDS, replacing traditional mercury tube UV lights, for disinfecting surfaces and the air, has provided electronic design engineers another way to realize new products. element14 would like to host a webinar on UV-disinfection for the benefit of our members.

[embed:33ecb077-39b7-4078-9b1e-dc3f977a690b:72559140-38c5-4eb8-8cc6-2040ef9cd4b7:question=What%20UV-C%20Disinfection%20application%20interests%20you%20most%3F&description=&pollOptions=%5B%7B%22OptionId%22%3A%2294fe5e23-2966-455c-b10a-94da83a3ce8b%22%2C%22Option%22%3A%22UV-C%20Air%20Disinfection%22%2C%22Ordinal%22%3A0%7D%2C%7B%22OptionId%22%3A%22df1bbb40-af20-4d8d-8022-f8866c6047c9%22%2C%22Option%22%3A%22UV-C%20Surface%20Disinfection%22%2C%22Ordinal%22%3A1%7D%2C%7B%22OptionId%22%3A%2233f9fb6c-9b84-476a-a77b-dc539ebabc55%22%2C%22Option%22%3A%22UV-C%20Water%20Disinfection%22%2C%22Ordinal%22%3A2%7D%2C%7B%22OptionId%22%3A%22da7a62b5-4c25-4bc6-8d9d-44d40c4de7c5%22%2C%22Option%22%3A%22Smoke%2FDust%2FParticle%20Sensing%22%2C%22Ordinal%22%3A3%7D%2C%7B%22OptionId%22%3A%222b36236a-3297-4ba1-8d14-82470f88447e%22%2C%22Option%22%3A%22Curing%20applications%22%2C%22Ordinal%22%3A4%7D%2C%7B%22OptionId%22%3A%22d5c8e485-6ca1-4c56-b35a-59b6d7794427%22%2C%22Option%22%3A%22Treatment%20in%20the%20chemical%20industry%22%2C%22Ordinal%22%3A5%7D%2C%7B%22OptionId%22%3A%227ab6149f-bc7d-40cd-82b2-672523ba15d3%22%2C%22Option%22%3A%22Other%3B%20please%20explain%20in%20comments%22%2C%22Ordinal%22%3A6%7D%5D&ShowResultsConfiguration=1%2C1]

Are you working with UV-C LEDs for Disinfection? If so, tell me about it.

rscasny — Sun, 19 Jun 2022 19:11:54 GMT

UV-C lamps are being replaced by UV-C LEDs for disinfection treatment purposes. There are many use cases including consumer, buildings, industrial, medical, among others.

Are you working with UV-C LEDs? If so, can you talk about it? element14 is planning on some activities around it. I'd like to get a sense of the community's experience with it. Thanks.

RE: Are you working with UV-C LEDs for Disinfection? If so, tell me about it.

sunnyiut — Mon, 20 Jun 2022 19:05:53 GMT

Our R&D team at BiBEAT LTD developed a UVC room sterilizer for medical use under the supervision of our mentor Prof. Siddique-e Rabbani few months ago. This can be used in Operation Theater or ICU room to disinfect surroundings after the Operation is over, or a patient left the ICU. The aim is to reduce the HAI [Hospital / Healthcare Associated Infections]. We achieved great results while collaborating with a renowned hospital to test the device. We have used 254nm germicidal lamps of in total 180W in different configurations.

Room size: 13ft x 10ft x 8.5ft (approx)
Microorganisms painted at 5 different points

After 30 minutes of exposure, all samples had more than 8 log reduction in concentration.

However, during the design considerations we found that there was divergence of light beams out of a UVC tube lamp. The two corners of the tube lamp have dark zones where essentially no or little light reaches from the tube lamp directly. This forced us to change our initial design to increase the number of tubes in different angels to achieve optimum result in every direction. LED gives a better uniform light beam than lamp, I hope. Also it will be much more efficient in terms of energy and wavelength. But definitely that increases the cost.

Another advantage will be - tube lamps are fragile. LEDs have higher longevity and will be easier to handle or replace. The intensity of the exposure can be optimized according to the room size or necessity. Which is not easy in case of tube lamps.

RE: Are you working with UV-C LEDs for Disinfection? If so, tell me about it.

Gough Lui — Mon, 20 Jun 2022 09:52:21 GMT

Yes - my PhD was all about using UV-C LEDs for water disinfection. Right now, I'm involved in a part-time project in collaboration between several universities to try and bring this technology to developing countries for point-of-use water disinfection using only photovoltaic power.

- Gough

RE: Are you working with UV-C LEDs for Disinfection? If so, tell me about it.

Andrew J — Mon, 20 Jun 2022 08:34:23 GMT

A UV lamp is a key component of our pond filter and it comes with a lot of warnings.

RE: Are you working with UV-C LEDs for Disinfection? If so, tell me about it.

dougw — Mon, 20 Jun 2022 01:25:04 GMT

I was involved in building the water purification systems for the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory, which used UV as one aspect in the complex process of making the cleanest water in the world. This was a pretty big water purification plant, which used food grade polyethylene pipes. When the room lights were turned off you could see all the polyethylene pipes glowing blue - acting like light pipes from the UV sources. Since then I've been interested in using UV to make water safe to drink. There are some countries where it is ill advised to drink the water. I thought about re-purposing the UV sources in those old EPROM erasers, but have not yet launched a development, partly because of safety concerns - UV can cause cataracts not to mention skin cancer. I also thought about using it on the common problem of smelly hockey equipment. Unfortunately UV also degrades many synthetics and the last thing you want is for your protective materials to fail to do their job. The advent of UV LEDs opens up some applications, but it takes significant and complex research, for example, to figure out what dosage would be needed to achieve some specific "germ-free" drinking water target. I would suggest anyone wanting to experiment with UV to take precautions not to expose people to UV. If it wasn't for potential human exposure, it might be more useful for insect control. (I believe it is already used for insect control, but I am too leery of it to try it out)

You could imagine an invisible curtain of UV that would prevent any harmful or contagious biologicals from passing through alive, but care would need to be taken to ensure the light didn't reflect onto a human. It might allow better interaction with immune-compromised individuals or contagious individuals.

RE: Are you working with UV-C LEDs for Disinfection? If so, tell me about it.

ralphjy — Sun, 19 Jun 2022 21:25:21 GMT

Many years ago when I thought I wanted to be a microbiologist, I grew large quantities of Clostridium bacteria as part of my research during an NSF internship. We used UV lamps for disinfecting our workstations. I can attest to their effectivity in killing test cultures ☺.

I've looked at building something with UV-C LEDs recently because of Covid, but never got around to researching parts. I'll be interested in seeing what type of components you select.

I did get a portable UV disinfection unit as Christmas gift, but I'll admit to not having tested its effectivity.

RE: Are you working with UV-C LEDs for Disinfection? If so, tell me about it.

shabaz — Sun, 19 Jun 2022 20:37:22 GMT

Yes, I think so, and also any viruses/bacteria that may be around. Possibly it also slightly helps when kids forget to wash hands when they get to school for mealtimes etc., less chance they will have bacteria from their shoes onto their hands. But probably they will have picked up loads of bacteria from elsewhere by that time.

RE: Are you working with UV-C LEDs for Disinfection? If so, tell me about it.

rscasny — Sun, 19 Jun 2022 20:15:20 GMT

I honestly would never have thought of that for removing odors, I presume.

RE: Are you working with UV-C LEDs for Disinfection? If so, tell me about it.

shabaz — Sun, 19 Jun 2022 20:10:40 GMT

Hi Randall,

A friend of mine is using UV-C for disinfecting shoes. When the family comes in from outside, they leave their shoes underneath the LEDs, i.e. the shoes remain in a storage area that disinfects them, outside a secondary door of the home. I thought it was a great idea!

RE: Relax-a-Cizor, Medical Quackery or Just Ahead of its Time?

dougw — Mon, 15 Oct 2018 22:36:21 GMT

These links are off limits...

RE: Relax-a-Cizor, Medical Quackery or Just Ahead of its Time?

dougw — Mon, 15 Oct 2018 22:35:10 GMT

These worked...

RE: Relax-a-Cizor, Medical Quackery or Just Ahead of its Time?

korn — Mon, 15 Oct 2018 17:04:31 GMT

the 1950's version of the relax-a-cizor got a little screen time in "mad Men" season one. they portrayed it as a "sex toy

googling it leads to lawsuits and fda demands that they all be destroyed or rendered inoperable....

possible heart issues and miscarriages among other threats...

Its supposed to be a low frequency AF oscillator....

I cant wait to see it's output on a scope.

there is a youtube video of some woman trying it with one pad on each of her arms. real stupid to pass current across your chest.

real funny to see her jump. why she let her friend operate the controls I'll never understand.

another video has a guy wearing the face mask and letting his friends control it

I actually have a modern tens unit to try too. I got it after my knee replacement surgery but never used it. I got a second one from someone who didn't like it.....

RE: Relax-a-Cizor, Medical Quackery or Just Ahead of its Time?

mcb1 — Mon, 15 Oct 2018 16:31:25 GMT

I wonder if I can get a badge for breaking a post..........

unlikely because plenty of others have broken it as well.

I'm tending to think that suitcase of death applies current to exercise the muscles, and as it gets wound down it has the effects of relaxing you.

Either that or you relax once you're aware that this isn't there to alter your mental state by applying varying currents across your head.

Very interesting history that should be in a museum (preferably intact).

Mark

RE: Relax-a-Cizor, Medical Quackery or Just Ahead of its Time?

korn — Mon, 15 Oct 2018 16:22:39 GMT

I wonder if I can get a badge for breaking a post..........

RE: Relax-a-Cizor, Medical Quackery or Just Ahead of its Time?

korn — Mon, 15 Oct 2018 16:20:34 GMT

How about these?

RE: Relax-a-Cizor, Medical Quackery or Just Ahead of its Time?

korn — Mon, 15 Oct 2018 16:15:15 GMT

thats really odd.

I just checked and they are all hosted on e14

can you try these links?

https://www.element14.com/community/servlet/JiveServlet/showImage/621600/IMG_1457.jpg

https://www.element14.com/community/servlet/JiveServlet/showImage/621609/IMG_1533.jpg

https://www.element14.com/community/servlet/JiveServlet/showImage/621608/IMG_1537.jpg

RE: Relax-a-Cizor, Medical Quackery or Just Ahead of its Time?

dougw — Mon, 15 Oct 2018 16:09:42 GMT

korn Those images are all inaccessible....

More Medical Oddballs, the Home Diathermy Machine

korn — Sun, 14 Oct 2018 19:27:20 GMT

This is an oddball I wish I still had. I lost it when I moved in 1977. Not for any Medical use but because it would make a great short wave transmitter.... Just needs a modulator...

It was a large beast with two banana jacks on the front panel. There was a timer, plate current meter and a tuning knob. It had some different sized pads you were instructed to place above and below the affected limb. There were some picture of them on a persons arm and thigh.

I remember it had a huge tank coil suspended between two 811 tubes. Thats alone was frightening. I could easily get a few hundred watts of RF out of one of those tubes but to have a pair of them... I saw an Ameritron 811A amplifier at a recent hamfest and that reminded me of this monsters potential.

On the first power up test it crackled a bit so I quickly shut it off. then I shut the overhead fluorescent lights so I could see if there was any arcing. As soon as I powered it up the lights came back on.....

I figured it needed a load So I hooked up the large pad set and searched for a test subject. All I could find were some cold McDonalds fries so why not. I nestled the fry container between the pads and fired it up again. I tweaked the plate cap and then I heard my fried say "Its smoking" I looked all over but didn't see smoke. It was the fries! There was steam coming out from between the pads...

Still cant believe this was actually marketed to home users. I've worked in many hospitals and serviced all kinds of medical equipment. Never did any of it scare me like these monsters did....

Anybody else have experience with these machines?

Help

jluc — Sun, 29 Jan 2017 15:46:52 GMT

So I have been medically retired from the Army and about to start school to be a biomedical technician. I was needing help selecting a laptop for school. It has to run windows. Any thoughts on the right one for me? Thanks in advanced

RE: Help

jluc — Mon, 30 Jan 2017 02:02:34 GMT

Thanks for the reply. I will be doing school and running certain softwares for what I'll be working with. That's the only thing I really need it to do. I do have the Elegoo Arduino Mega2560 UNO Nano and have to download a software to run that. Totally new but I love doing it. Grabbed my complete attention and I've been hooked ever since. Just need a good laptop to get me started