How to cause temporary paralysis to specified areas of the body...

[Alphaviper]

Hey everyone!

Me and my friend are currently developing (or should I say seeing if it is possible) a new kind of virtual reality headset.

The system would have to cause temporary paralysis to the hand; and the process would have to be able to be stopped immediately on demand.

This is a problem that has well and truly stumped me - biology (especially neuroscience) is not my area at all - engineering and physics is!

I understand that there is a good chance there is no possible way of doing this - I may have to rethink it entirely...

Thanks in advance!

[Function]

How about you stop thinking of it instead of rethinking it? Without the necessary expertise, don't try to mess with your nerves. You might get them permanently damaged in a quest for "shutting them down on demand", something they're not made for.

 

I guess there are indeed methods to shut down specific motor and/or sensory pathways, but do yourself a favor and don't go look for them.

Edited February 4, 2017 by Function

[Lord Antares]

There are methods to induce temporary paralysis of limbs but they take time and focus. Nothing like what you're searching for. The only way you could reach instant paralysis as you ask is via rapid hypnosis but that would work just for the first time if at all.

 

You should reverse your thinking. You should first focus on finding this ability to paralyze and only then hypothesize about uses of this discovery, not have a device that solely depends on you being able to discover this remarkable phenomenon which has never been done before.

[DrmDoc]

Hey everyone!

Me and my friend are currently developing (or should I say seeing if it is possible) a new kind of virtual reality headset.

The system would have to cause temporary paralysis to the hand; and the process would have to be able to be stopped immediately on demand.

This is a problem that has well and truly stumped me - biology (especially neuroscience) is not my area at all - engineering and physics is!

I understand that there is a good chance there is no possible way of doing this - I may have to rethink it entirely...

Thanks in advance!

 

Although simple methods do exist, you're asking for reasons related to amusement rather than medical care. This is a horrible idea and no competent neuroscientist or physician would ever suggest a way to induce paralysis for non-medical reasons.

[Nerdlord]

There are chemicals that are sent into your muscles when  you sleep. In a study, gamma-aminobutyric acid and glycine caused temporary paralysis to the muscles in a rat. You could (in the future) use electro magnetic pulses to the part of the brain that sends the signal for that chemical to be released, via a helmet, then have a monitor hooked up to the brain stem to observe the signals sent to the nerves, then use those signals to control a virtual avatar. But there are parts like senses (visual,  auditory, ect..) that you would need some sort of microwave technology to stimulate parts of the brain in specific patterns to create sight, touch hearing ect. I wouldn't recommend doing all this with your friend. Try for a bank loan, then start a business and hire people from professions of virtual programming and neurologists. But dont start this until 2030 at least, or when we have some understanding of the brain.

Edited March 8, 2020 by Nerdlord
Typo

[MigL]

Botox ( or a variation of the Vulcan nerve pinch ).

[jajrussel]

My left hand went numb twice. A tumor putting pressure on just the right place will do that. I can't believe anyone would want to do it on purpose just to play a game. Really, if your goal is a really cool game do it the old fashioned way make it a really good game. That way the only thing that goes numb is your mind and your behind cause you can't quite sitting around playing the game.