I was looking to figure out a way to add a magnetic interface. I am not very technically proficient, I am a composer at Heidelberg University. I am having neodymium magnets implanted into my finger this month, and want to have an interface that could receive fairly detailed input from the implants. Perhaps similar to a theremin,but with more range of detailed inputs. And from here to be ran through MaxMSP. The goal of this is to have an electronic interactive instrument that could be controlled with the implants. Ideas, anyone?
Raskin666:
I was looking to figure out a way to add a magnetic interface. I am not very technically proficient, I am a composer at Heidelberg University. I am having neodymium magnets implanted into my finger this month, and want to have an interface that could receive fairly detailed input from the implants. Perhaps similar to a theremin,but with more range of detailed inputs. And from here to be ran through MaxMSP. The goal of this is to have an electronic interactive instrument that could be controlled with the implants. Ideas, anyone?
I would have thought one would research what the methods and capabilities were for magnetic detection before scheduling implant surgery, but maybe that's just me. 
I am getting the implants for other reasons as well, not just for the development of electronic instruments.
Interesting problem.
I think I would have also tried some tape around the finger to start ...
Well, perhaps a signal running thru a coil of wire, with same signal going thru a non-coil, both feeding a difference amplier )op amp with gain).
Then your magnet waved near the coil of wire causes a disturbance (pretty much what a generator is, fixed-coil, moving magnet), the difference amplifier amplifies the difference between the 2 signals.
Interesting idea! I have some reports that this type of thing is possible. There is a fair amount of documentation regarding the sensory additions of having the implants, but recently I communicated with someone that has the implants (an electrician) that reported a garage fan gave him quite an experience when turned on, and he suspected the implant was inducing a voltage, becoming a part of the EM system to some degree.
I was just thinking - don't metal detectors work the same way?
Maybe a kit like this could be adapted:
he suspected the implant was inducing a voltage, becoming a part of the EM system to some degree.
As only a moving field generates a signal what ever it was is wasn't that.
My first thought would be a linear hall sensor to detect distance. Then how about a matrix of coils you induce voltages in by flicking your fingers over them.
Mind you I would have used gloves as you don't get any advantage from implants and touch screen displays are going to be hard to use after that.
The metal detector idea is interesting, but I need to have a larger range of inputs. @GrumpyMike, the implants are very small and weak, so they don't affect touch screens and stuff like that. They will be on the side of my left ring finger. Just a distance sensor I don't think would have more benefits than just developing a non-magnetic model. I was hoping that with magnets, a higher range of detected inputs was possible.
I was hoping that with magnets, a higher range of detected inputs was possible.
Well no as:-
the implants are very small and weak
A magnetic field drops of as the cube of the distance so any field gets very small very quickly, I can't see it offering anything even approaching the range you get with a theremin.
When I say range, I don't mean physical range. Rather, a greater variety of different types of inputs besides just distance. (Speed? Shape? )