emdrs  2 Jan 2004 - 22:24   

Hardware product reviews - see also [software]

NeuroTek: Equipment for EMDR (Audio / Visual / Tactile)

This company was possibly the first to make hardware for the EMDR therapist. They have made reliable products for many years. Their website has much detailed information. No products were donated from this company for review but I have used an early version of the light bar, their audio, audio-tactile and most recently their audio-tactile device that allows control of music from an external source. I received good service and immediate replacement for minor faults without question.

Light bar: This is the most well known product and it has sufficient information on the company website for me to not describe it in detail. Using it is certainly better than getting a very stiff arm, if visual is your preferred modality. If you use EMDR for even 2 - 4 hours per day, on a few days per week, these products might prevent serious joint pathology!
However, since discovery of the auditory and tapping devices, visual is not my preferred modality.

LapScan: I have never used this product due to the cost and my reduced personally interest in the visual mode. It appears to be of ‘lap-top’ size and manoeuvrability, as far as I can tell, with various selectable light patterns available for the client to follow.

Audio devices and ‘audio with tactile’ devices called Audio/Tac. These products are all encased in simple, small and discrete plastic units which look similar. The Audio/Tacs allow selection of simple beeps and sounds and permit the speed of alternating tone and the loudness to be varied. The tactile devices have a pair probes which the client can hold that buzz or vibrate in synchrony with the auditory tones. They may be used in conjunction with, or without, the tones. The early units varied speed only. The later products allow variation of intensity and frequency of beat but not duration of the pulse.

The Audio/Tac is a favourite gadget (along with my minidisk player to keep my favourite music at hand at all times) due to its very small size and effectiveness on the move. These items are very portable and you can take to a hospital bed and produce them from your pocket at a moments notice. A minor problem noted in use is noise that is discernable when the client's music is played through the device. (The only other difficulties are if you run out of batteries without a spare set or if your client insist on practicing knot-tying with the headphones - which then might need regular replacement). No problems with the variable beeps or clicks. My choice is for the cheapest possible headphone for tone playback that I consider disposable and I always carry a spare set.

TheraTapper. The TheraTapper pulser units are available from Shirley Jean Schmidt (or her husband)(see [links]). These were the original vibrating units. Early models had large hand held vibrator units. My first and only purchased product developed a fault and the manufacturers refused to repair out of the guarantee period. Their latest unit is much more aesthetically pleasing and allows greater variability of pulse parameters. Intensity (high/low), frequency and uniquely, the duration of interval (effectively the length of pulse) are variable. As I could not get my old unit repaired and was not offered a review product, I was reluctant to purchase another unit but overcame the reluctance recenly. I'm pleased I overcame the resistance as the product is excellent in use both for EMDR and I have even used it (where no claims are made) to relax my back muscles at a sedate setting.