Interested in a Tragus Implant

edited February 2016 in Magnets
Hello everyone, been lurking for about half a year now I apologize for the lack of discussion on my part. As an intro, I'm just a regular guy with a regular job and a fascination with the content of this website. Last summer I performed my own implants of two M31s, one in my left pinky finger and another in my left index. I've also replicated the SFM Ce6 experiment myself using their formula verbatim with success. Currently I am looking at the idea of the tragus implant but I'm having trouble bringing all of the information together.

From what I read, a rod is ideal but I'm having trouble finding the right rod with the right coating. Correct me if I'm wrong on the rod, by the way. My current thinking is this: a TiN coated 1x3mm rod would be ideal but as far as I can tell this doesn't exist and coating myself is beyond my capabilities. I would like the implant to last and I understand parylene-c may in fact slowly degrade? I know many users have had implants with this coating for years but even theoretically, despite the likelihood of never suffering impact? So my mind turned to PTFE. Ok, but I still can't seem to find a rod suitable. Most are either too thick or too long.

Can anyone point me in the right direction or correct some errors in my idea here? I've got a willing guy to perform the implant as there's no way I can do this to myself, but I'm missing the magnets.

Also, I had a question. If the implant is performed so that the rod nearly (or does in fact) touches bone, will this increase the volume? Or is this an unnecessary risk? Will the contact actually lessen vibration enough to lower volume?

Thoughts in general are greatly appreciated and I'd like to extend my thanks to all of you for the ideas and pioneering.
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Comments

  • @directorx will definitely be able to answer some of these questions.
  • edited February 2016
    Hi @Aeternaeon
    As far as sound conduction goes, I've heard different reports from different people. I've noticed the same thing with bone conduction speakers. Some people find good bone conduction placement on the cheek bones, molars, forehead, etc. Other people don't like these spots. It's weird. You'd think it would be more universal.

    The tragus placement might be the same kind of thing. The more people get them, the more varied the reports I get are. Who knew? I'd highly recommend getting/making a coil and trying it with different magnet shapes and sizes in various spots before implantation. I liked the rod shaped magnet I tried, but it was large. Other people may prefer other shapes. Smaller magnets seem to make higher noises better and the larger ones sound deeper. Kinda. It's hard for me to explain. So that said, different people hear different sound ranges better than others. I have a hard time hearing higher pitched stuff, so a lower tone is ideal for me.

    The magnet uses the tragi as a membrane to vibrate the air around it. If you use the same magnet/coil rig and bite down on a magnet instead (you should hear sound) then it is primarily using bone conduction. In that same way, the tragi magnet is also kind of doing a cartilage conduction in addition to the air conduction. I hope that makes sense. We can find you a body mod person based on your location.

    tl;dr
    experiment like hell first.

    EDIT: I don't think you will lose volume if it touches bone. Just my prediction, but I don't know for sure. 
  • Thank you for the feedback. I had also wondered that about different magnets relaying different tones better. For utilitarian purposes it would be unnecessary but I had considered the idea of a rod plus a smaller disc placed elsewhere to improve sound quality. As you say I suppose the idea can be tested and locations tried before I actually have the procedure performed so if I find good magnet candidates I'll give it a spin and report back how the sound quality turns out.

    Without having that great a grasp on the real physics of it, in my mind a rod touching the bone at its end would benefit from multiple forms of conduction and possibly improve sound quality but really I'm just throwing out a semi-educated guess. What you're explaining certainly makes sense though.

    I live in Eastern Oregon about 4 to 5 hours from Bend or Boise, ID so you might know someone in those cities but around me you'd have better luck finding a willing veterinarian clinic!
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