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The History of the Neurophone Part 2
THE NEUROPHONE MODEL 50 - The Thinkman
Principles of Operation
The thinkman is the latest development in the series of neurophone
devices first invented by Patrick Flanagan in 1959 when he was a prolific
young inventor of 14. Since that time, considerable progress has been
made in
the development of improved neurophone devices, and the thinkman is the
fiftieth neurophone system developed by Dr. Flanagan. A full and complete
theory of the neurological, physiological and psychological operation
of the
neurophone is still being pieced together.
How does it work? How is it possible to hear without using ones ears?
The current hypothesis is based upon the fact that the skin is embrionically
the source of all our human sense organs. In fact, the skin itself contains
more sensors, for heat, touch, pain, etc., than any other part of the
human
anatomy. The human ear evolves embryonically out of the convolutions of
the
skin of an embryo in the mothers womb. Basically, the skin is the oldest
evolutionary nervous system sensor. Since it is the precursor of the ears,
the skin should also be capable of hearing and, as the neurophone proves,
the
skin does indeed have this capability.
Neurologically, the human skin is both piezoelectric and optoelectric.
This means that it produces minute electrical currents when vibrated or
rubbed. Soviet and Czechoslovakian neurological research has also shown
that
the skin produces an electric current when stimulated by light.
As long ago as 1785, Charles Augustin DeCoulomb, a french physicist
and an early experimenter with electricity, proved that an electrostatic
field
produces a measurable physical force. The neurophone processes audio
information to produce a very weak 20 volt RMS electric field at each
of its
two transducer disks. This alternating electric field is changed as a
function of the time rate of change of the audio signal coming into the
neurophone. This minute electrical field actually causes microscopic
vibrations of the skin under the transducer disks. Maximum coupling of
the
electric field to the skin is ensured by fabricating the transducer disks
from
Zirconium Titanate which possess the same dielectric constant as human
skin.
If you were to put an ordinary medical stethoscope on the skin next to
one of
the transducer disks while the neurophone is being used, you would be
able to
detect the vibrations of the skin created by the tiny electric field of
the
transducer disk.
Work done by Dr's Patrick Flanagan and Dwight Wayne Batteau at Tufts
University during the years of 1964-1968 is the basis of the current theory
regarding how the neurophone works. They discovered that the frequency
content of the human voice had little to do with the brain's ability to
recognize intelligence in human speech. For example, people who have had
their larynx removed can use an artificial larynx, a buzz generator or
low
frequency vibrator held against the side of the throat. Words are formed
totally by the action of the jaw, the tongue, the teeth, the glottis,
and the
nasal cavities. These cavities form a highly variable time delay encoding
chamber. They found that the basic audio information which our brains
evolved
to decipher, the human voice, is dependent not upon frequency but upon
the
time rate of change nature of a sound caused by time delays imposed by
the
mouth and nasal passages. The neurophone makes use of these time delay
codes
by processing the incoming audio signal to remove the frequency component
and
leave only the time domain, the time rate of change information. This
is one
reason why the neurophone sounds so scratchy when one first begins to
listen
to it. Thus, the electronic circuitry presents audio information to the
skin
in the manner that the skin was originally designed to receive and decode
such
information eons ago.
But is it certain that the neurophone is not operating by bone
conduction as are some other devices available today for listening experiments
and enjoyment? A definitive experiment proving that bone conduction is
not a
cause of neurophonic hearing can be duplicated by anyone with the required
simple equipment. This procedure is called the Batteau test, honoring
the
late hearing researcher, Dr Dwight Wayne Batteau, who developed the test
during neurophone evaluation at Tufts University. Two separate channels
of
audio information are required. One channel goes through a set of ordinary
headphones, the other goes through the neurophone. One specific frequency
is
played through the headphone channel. Another slightly different is played
through the neurophone circuitry to the transducer disks. If the neurophone
were producing hearing by bone conduction, the two slightly different
frequencies would mix in the bone structure of the inner ear producing
a
discernible beat frequency. With the nerophone, this beat frequency is
heard
only at very high volume levels in both channels, levels at which the
neurophone probably producing bone conduction by the strong vibration
of the
skin under each transducer disk. However the beat frequency should
theoretically be heard at all volume levels and yet it is not heard at
normal
neurophonic listening levels. The neurophonic experience is therefore
probably a new way to hear, using a new channel into the brain: the skin.
The neurophone is an electronic audio information processor designed
and sold for experimental and entertainment purposes. The electronic
circuitry of the neurophone accepts an input from any audio or Hi Fi system.
It converts the audio signal into a digital like low voltage electrical
signal
that activates two small transducer disks. These two disks or electrodes
may
be placed anywhere on the bare skin of the listener. When the transducers
are
in contact with the skin, the audio signal will then be perceived in the
persons head. There are no hazardous voltages or currents between the
two
sensor disks. There are no radio frequency carriers involved in the action
of
the neurophone. The neurophone thinkman operates from a 9 volt transistor
radio type battery which is enclosed in its case.
The audio signal source for the neurophone may be a portable cassette
tape player, a radio, or a stereo Hi Fi system. Most modern cassette tape
machines and Hi Fi stereo systems have a headphone or external speaker
output
jack. The neurophone output goes through two 1 inch diameter transducer
disks
fabricated of Zirconium Titinate which are imbedded in acrylic plastic
tiles
to protect the brittle disks against breakage. The transducer disks are,
nevertheless, still fragile and should be treated carefully because hard
physical shocks will break them. If a transducer disk is broken by rough
handling, a new set of transducer disks may be obtained from us. Insert
the
plug at the end of the transducer lead into the jack labeled electrode
on the
end of the thinkman.
Connect your neurophone to an audio source such as a cassette machine
by means of an audio connecting cable. The small plug on your connecting
cable will usually fit into the headphone output or external speaker jack
on
your machine, the other plug on your connecting cable will plug into the
audio
jack on the neurophone. Before plugging the cable into your cassette jack,
adjust the output volume control on your machine to a 50% or higher level
to
ensure that the signal processor on your neurophone is receiving an adequate
signal level. Turn on the neurophone by rotating the volume control in
a
clockwise direction. The red LED indicator light will glow, indicating
the
neurophone is on. Place the two transducer disks on the bare skin on either
side of the forehead; They may be held in place by the elastic headband
supplied with the unit. Turn the volume control clockwise to about mid
way.
Turn on your audio source so that the signal will now play through the
neurophone. Place the electrode disks on the skin of your temples, plug
up
your ears, and the audio signal should be heard, appearing to exist in
the
middle of your head. If necessary, adjust the neurophone volume control
until
the signal is heard.
As you become more experienced in neurophone listening, you will find
that you will be able to place the two transducer disks on the bare skin
in
spots other than the forehead. One neurophone listener reports excellent
neurophone listening with one transducer disk on the soft flesh of one
leg and
the other transducer on the soft skin of the stomach. However, the neurophone
must be operated at a higher volume setting to obtain the same level of
neurophone hearing under such remote transducer locations. The ability
of the
transducer disks to function at a location of the skin remote from the
head is
partially explained by the current operating hypothesis.
If your neurophone begins to sound weak and the red LED indicator on
the front panel begins to glow very dimly, replace the battery in the
unit.
Unfasten the four phillips head screws holding the bottom on the case
and
remove the bottom plate. Inside, you will find a battery clip and a 9
volt
transistor battery. Replace the battery with a fresh one. For best results,
use an alkaline battery which will provide more than 10 hours of neurophone
use under normal conditions.
(continued in next message)
The neurophone processes audio information in such a way that the
frequency domain is eliminated but the time domain is preserved. Studies
with
earlier versions of the neurophone by Tufts University for the US Navy
as long
ago as 1966 indicated that the brain initially may have difficulty in
recognizing the neurophone signals due to gaps in perception. The user
may
not be able to perceive certain frequencies and time domains in portions
of
the audio spectrum. As you use your neurophone, these holes in your
neurophone hearing process will disappear, as your brain learns to recognize
these energies, and you will begin to hear neurophonic sound with full
frequency and wide dynamic range.
The neurophone is an experimental listening device that may by
continuous use stimulate and enhance dormant perceptive abilities in the
user.
For example, since the device is apparently stimulating pathways to the
brain
that are not used normally, it may increase intelligence, telepathic ability,
and neural efficiency. Dr. Flanagan has used the neurophone longer than
anyone in existence, and has developed extremely high neural efficiency
scores. He believes this increase in brain efficiency is directly related
to
the use of the neurophone device. Many long term neurophone users report
increased awareness, telepathic ability, out of body experiences, better
memory, and increased auditory frequency range. A commercial pilot from
Saudi
Arabia reported a recovery of hearing damage due to aural trauma resulting
from the loud aircraft engine noise as a result of his job. Please note
however, that the neurophone is an experimental device, and has many uses
that
have been untapped. The neurophone owner will have to experiment and discover
his own uses for the device. Dr Flanagan used his own neurophone to learn
the
Arabic language; actress Susan Strasberg found that she could learn her
stage
lines easier by playing them through the device. A recent book by G. Harry
Stine, titled THE SILICON GODS by Dell, discusses the possibility of using
the
neurophone as a part of a mind computer link in which the power of the
human
mind could be amplified by millions of times. Stine says that the entire
process if feasible right now, with the help of the neurophone and state
of
the art brain scan technology. Tom Bearden, in his book EXCALIBER BRIEFING
says that the neurophone may eventually be used to successfully enable
one ore more people to do a perfect mind link in which the power of multiple
minds may solve all world problems.
We hope that neurophone owners will join us in the task of discovering
and using the potential of the device. The field of neurophone research
is
wide open, in the future we will see the development of neurophone software
and hardware as well as neurophone user's league, our own neurophone magazine,
and a host of other neurophone support devices. We invite all neurophone
owners to share their experiences with us, so that we may share them with
others.
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