Piezoelectric Microdermals

I was wondering If anyone's tried to make micro dermal jewelry that can vibrate with piezoelectric ceramics; similar to north sense, but just a buzzer that can be screwed on and wired into an external device. I'm planning on making a few later this year for a project, but if I can find pre-assembled versions of the parts I'm looking for it'd be really helpful. I want to make a haptic device that's easy to install, so someone with no knowledge of grinding can just buy it and immediately use it with little to no instruction.

(admin edit: fix horizontal scroll)

Comments

  • Do you want something like a piercing bead with a vibrator built into it?
    I think I've seen something like that at Spencer's or a sex shop. They're bulky because they have batteries and a vibrator motor.
    What do you want to use to control the vibrations or do you simply want something that buzzes all the time?

  • I'm looking for something that I can wire into an external processor like an arduino or solder onto a wire for a headphone jack.
    End goal is a programmable haptic interface.

  • Gotcha!
    Unfortunately, the only ones I've seen on the market are those bulky ones with batteries and motors. I guess you'll have to be a trailblazer.
    Do you already have a micro dermal to use with this? If so, buy a regular piercing bead with a flat surface, maybe a six-sided die. Then, just glue a piezoelectric disc to the top. Connect your Arduino and apply a tone. I have no idea how possible it will be to feel vibrations. Perhaps a simple tone won't work, maybe intermittent short pulses will work better like a 1-microsecond pulse every fifty milliseconds. Perhaps you could wire multiple piezoelectric discs in parallel and stack them for added effect, I've never tried it, I'm just brainstorming.
    Find out what works and what doesn't, then work on making it a real piercing bead. If I recall, micro dermals tend to use internally threaded posts while the cheap piercings usually have externally threaded posts.

  • edited December 2017


    Found some 2 mm thick vibration motors on that might work.
    Should be useful for any other projects that require compact vibrating components so I'll link it here.https://seeedstudio.com/Mini-vibration-motor-2.0mm-p-2300.html

  • Those seem like a good place to start. I don't know your experience with microcontrollers so be aware that these are 3V. Otherwise, they're pretty easy to use and you'll definitely be able to feel them. They didn't put a current rating on the motors so you may want to use transistors between the motors and your controller.
    What kind of information do you want to give the wearer? Or is that privileged information?

  • Thanks for the heads up. Honestly I don't have any specific information in mind, I'm hoping to design an interface that can be easily repurposed for different data sets

  • What's your experience with microcontrollers?

  • None, but I'm very fascinated by sensory augmentation, so I decided I'd give myself a side project. Figured worse case scenario I end up learning a useful skill

  • That's a good way to look at it!
    I recommend starting with an Arduino UNO or a clone and those motors. Pick up some 2n3904 or 2n3906 transistors.
    Arduino Uno [eBay Link]
    Disc vibrators [eBay link]
    3904 transistors [eBay Link]
    3906 transistors [eBay Link]
    This should be enough to whet your appetite without breaking the bank. You may not need the transistor but it may be better to order them before they're necessary.

  • Two ideas come to mind. Piezoelectric speaker or memory wire. Vibrators are overkill for skin to register sensation. Maybe even heating wire to get a signal to nerves to pick up? Memory wire i think would be best. smallest and easiest to sanitize for implanting. Just have it deform from a small kink ti a straight and back again to give the sensation inside skin or inside a capsule it could "click" against the inside for same effect. Just a thought.

Sign In or Register to comment.