I've heard horror stories from around the world where people have either performed self-trepanation or paid some cock-eyed doctor to do it out of the back of their car. Hopefully this invention will cure us of our desire to make our skulls look like an 8-lb bowling ball.
Have you seen the little toys in the store that when you touch a finger to one little contact point and another finger to the other contact point the toy starts to dance or sing or a combination of them? Well, this idea is similar to that. Have the drill bit made so that it slides all the way to the back of the drill. The end of the bit should touch one of the contacts, while the other contact is in the handle. If both contacts are being touched and a current runs through them (i.e. the head touches the bit, the bit touches the contact, and the contact in the handle is touched) then the drill doesn't turn on. Else, if the drill is place on wood, metal, plastic, neighbor's house, sister’s homework, what have you; the drill turns on and make a nice perforation.
Making the world a safer place for all of mankind. Sure, the ancients believed it helped cure stress, depression, confusion, and a number of other things… but can we really be sure this is the answer?-- barnzenen, Sep 06 2003 basic run down of trephination http://www.noah.org.../trepan_clinic.htmlRemember, only your brain stands in your way of your happiness [barnzenen, Oct 06 2004] the hole story or http://www.salon.co...panation/print.htmlthe road to bliss (not my words) [po, Oct 06 2004] Miracle Man http://www.smh.com..../1062548878082.htmlIt might also prevent this... [Detly, Oct 06 2004] Plugged Heads http://www.gape-cla.../aspirin_dragon.jpgBrains leaking? Put a cork in it! [Don Quixote, Oct 06 2004] bones making up the cranium fuse together at approximately two years of age. http://www.bbc.co.u...s/skull/skull.shtml [po, Oct 06 2004] See Page vs. Sheerness Steel http://www.publicat...jd980716/page01.htm [Ling, Aug 05 2006] Thanks Rods and Bliss/Po, horrible at spelling, hope I got some of them.-- barnzenen, Sep 06 2003 sorry having a brunette moment here, are you saying that if ones body completes an electrical circuit then the drill is switched off? thats neat. apologies if I have it all wrong.-- po, Sep 07 2003 Hell, why stop at drills? Most power tools could have a feature like this.-- phoenix, Sep 07 2003 Yes, but have you tried it yourself? <shiver> Mmmmm </shiver>-- FloridaManatee, Sep 07 2003 being a little nutty , I would rather have a hole in my skull sealed over with skin than a metal conducting surface next to my electrochemical brain . So when I get that skull injury a ceramic colander will do just fine .-- wjt, Sep 08 2003 Doesn't the skull have cracks holes where the bone sections meet naturally . What different is a drilled hole? Each to their own , if they know what they are doing . What is the difference with trepanning compared to body piecing ? And only god knows what the true effect is ?-- wjt, Sep 09 2003 I have read of a powersaw which electrically detects meat thru the blade and immediately comes to a stop if it contacts flesh. I remember the inventor did his test work with hot dogs. I wish I could find a link for that. It is a great idea.-- bungston, Sep 09 2003 I don't think this particular idea will help much with quack doctors, and there is the metal-contact issue when drilling metals, or other legitimate construction material which conducts electricity... like... umm...-- ye_river_xiv, Aug 02 2006 Link, Page vs. Sheerness Steel. I used to work there. The story was that the burns to his hands were severe...-- Ling, Aug 05 2006 random, halfbakery