This is a feasibility study for developing a new way to stimulate the phrenic nerve at the base of the neck to restore breathing. The stimulation will be delivered through eddy currents induced by a magnetic field switched on and off. The field is created by large electric currents in specially designed coils. Using animal experiments, the project will determine whether the proposed method can deliver pulses of sufficient intensity to maintain continuous breathing. If successful, the new technique may provide an effective and noninvasive method to provide artificial ventilation without having to gain access to the airways.
