A controlled stimulation device used either alone or in conjunction with a treatment device to reduce amount of pain a patient may experience during a treatment with the treatment device.

A system and method for moving a magnetic piece across a board comprising a plurality of electromagnets. The plurality of electromagnets comprises an origin electromagnet and a destination electromagnet. First, a magnetic field is generated at the destination electromagnet such that the magnetic piece would be repulsed by the center of the destination electromagnet. Next, a magnetic field is generated at the origin electromagnet such that the magnetic piece is repulsed by the center of the origin electromagnet such that the piece moves to the edge of the origin and destination magnet. Then, a magnetic field is generated at the destination electromagnet that attracts the magnetic piece to the center of the destination electromagnet such that the piece moves to the center of the destination electromagnet.

Disclosed is a gaming unit for a gaming system, the gaming system comprising the gaming unit and a plurality of playing pieces, each playing piece of the plurality of playing pieces comprising a magnet and having an identifier. The gaming unit comprises: a play zone for arranging one or more playing pieces of the plurality of playing pieces on the gaming unit; a control unit; and a first magnetic unit configured to generate or alter a magnetic field for magnetically affecting one or more playing pieces arranged in the play zone. The first magnetic unit being operationally connected to the control unit. The control unit is configured to detect the identifier of a playing piece arranged in the play zone and responsive to the detection of one more particular identifiers generate a control signal controlling the first magnetic unit to generate or alter a magnetic field thereby magnetically affecting one or more playing pieces in the play zone.

Disclosed is a gaming unit for a gaming system, the gaming system comprising the gaming unit and a plurality of playing pieces, each playing piece of the plurality of playing pieces comprising a magnet and having an identifier. The gaming unit comprises: a play zone for arranging one or more playing pieces of the plurality of playing pieces on the gaming unit; a control unit; and a first magnetic unit configured to generate or alter a magnetic field for magnetically affecting one or more playing pieces arranged in the play zone. The first magnetic unit being operationally connected to the control unit. The control unit is configured to detect the identifier of a playing piece arranged in the play zone and responsive to the detection of one more particular identifiers generate a control signal controlling the first magnetic unit to generate or alter a magnetic field thereby magnetically affecting one or more playing pieces in the play zone.

An automated game board apparatus configured to, upon receiving a command from a player, determine a path from an origin segment to a destination segment and automatically move a selected game piece from the origin segment to the destination segment; wherein, if one or more intermediate segments along the path are occupied by other game pieces, the selected piece is moved along the boundaries of the occupied segment; and wherein, if the destination segment is occupied, the apparatus is further configured to automatically replace the existing game piece with the selected game piece by moving the existing game piece to substantially the boundary of the destination segment and moving the selected game piece to substantially the centre of the destination segment. In preferred embodiments, the invention utilizes electromagnets, correlated electromagnet array technology (CEAT), and/or correlated magnets.