A pulsed electromagnetic stimulator for bone-growth studies

A variable-pulse electromagnetic pulse generator has been developed to study the effect of the magnetic field on bone growth. The unit's repetition frequency can be varied from 2 to 200 Hz, and the peak current that it can drive is 10 A. The duty cycle of the pulse can be varied in steps of 10, 12.5, 17, 25, 50, 75, 83, 87.5, and 90% and is independent of the repetition frequency. The trailing edge of the output pulse can be controlled to produce any desired voltage-time pulse characteristic. This decay adjustment makes it possible to generate a variable-pulse frequency spectrum.