I built a fixture for holding a mouse while researchers shave a patch
on its back for doing some kind of hair research. It consisted of a
small hole where the mouse would stick its head. The researcher would
hold its tail and it (apparently) instinctually tries to get into the
hole, thus immobilizing the mouse enough to do the job.

Some time ago I posted a story about how I had sunk to a new low,
making a "plastic asshole". It was a plastic box with an adjustable
rubber sphincter. It was to test the concept of a robotic probe to
palpate the prostate, replacing the physician's finger.

Also, we make many acrylic fixtures that approximate the shape and
volume of the human torso. The fixtures are filled with a gell that
has the same electrical conductivity as flesh. These fixtures are
stuck in medical devices (MRIs etc.) with pacemakers, insulin pumps,
etc in them. The medical device manufacturers need to know what
happens to the devices when the person they are implanted is in an MRI.
Heating is a big problem.

Today I'm working on a plastic cranium. I don't know how it will be
used. It's a box with holes for pressure gauges, inserting syringes
etc.

It's kind of fun doing odd stuff.


Curt Benson