SENN Nerve Stimulation
SENN nerve stimulation source code is available free of cost or copyright restrictions: We are sharing the source code for a model that simulates nerve impulse (action potential) generation from electrical stimulation. The theory and software were devised by J. Patrick Reilly and Alan Diamant, two OSEL research fellows. The public release is of the source code, executables and users guide of their "Spatially Extended Nonlinear Node" (SENN) model. The applications for electrical stimulation device and associated software are broad and important. The software provides an intuitively simple model for estimating electrical dose at the site of nerve or muscle excitation. Their method, now available to the public, is value to both reviewers and researchers. Electrical dosimetry for electrical stimulation devices is evaluated by our staff, typically, on a case-by-case basis. The SENN model is universally applicable and provides an estimate for effective electrical stimulation without excessive stimulation. The book describes the "Threshold Factor" using the SENN neuro-electric model to give a numerical rating of any form of electrical stimulation. The "Threshold Factor" correlates with the volume of tissue containing neurons that may be excited by an electrical stimulus. The model and book unify our understanding of electrical dose. A large number of medical devices employ electrical stimulation of the spinal cord, deep brain, cerebral cortex, peripheral nerve, and auditory nerve, cardiac pacemakers, electrical defibrillators, muscle stimulators and magnetic stimulators. The earliest application of the SENN model was used to set MRI safety limits for induced electrical stimulation. Now this useful model has been converted to one that can be used on a personal computer (PC or Mac). The website from which the source code, executables and user guide may be obtained (without charge) is: http://www.artechhouse.com/static/reslib/reilly/reilly.html.
Disclaimer: This software and documentation (the "Software") were developed for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) through research fellowships from the Federal Government. Pursuant to Title 17, Section 105 of the United States Code, this work is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain. Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy of the Software, to deal in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, or sell copies of the Software or derivatives, and to permit persons to whom the Software is furnished to do so. FDA assumes no responsibility whatsoever for use by other parties of the Software, its source code, documentation or compiled executables, and makes no guarantees, expressed or implied, about its quality, reliability, or any other characteristic. Further, use of this code in no way implies endorsement by the FDA or confers any advantage in regulatory decisions. Although this software can be redistributed and/or modified freely, we ask that any derivative works bear some notice that they are derived from it, and any modified versions bear some notice that they have been modified.