Multichannel System for Measuring Skin Impedance at Acupuncture Points

用于测量穴位皮肤阻抗的多通道系统

• 批准号: 7270095
• 负责人: Agatha Piedmont Colbert
• 金额: $ 10.71万
• 依托单位: MIRIDIA TECHNOLOGY INC.
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 财政年份: 2007
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2007-09-30 至 2009-03-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/7270095
• 关键词: Acupuncture Points; Acupuncture procedure; Characteristics; Clinical; Clinical Investigator; Clinical Trials; Complementary Medicine; Complementary and alternative medicine; Computer software; Data; Diagnostic; Electric Capacitance; Electromagnetics; Engineering; Equipment; Goals; Health; Hour; Marketing; Measurement; Measures; Medicine; Meridians; Nature; Participant; Phase; Physiological; Physiology; Property; Research; Research Personnel; Resistance; Site; Skin; Small Business Technology Transfer Research; Source; System; Technology; Testing; Time; Work; base; college; design; electric impedance; experience; instrument; interest; programs; prototype; research study; tool

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): In this Phase 1 STTR, Miridia Technology Inc. will collaborate with acupuncture researchers at the National College of Natural Medicine to design, develop and test the hardware, firmware and software for an 8-channel impedance measuring system. The prototype system will be capable of simultaneously measure skin impedance at multiple acupuncture points (APs) and non-acupuncture sites, over several hours. Our long term goal is to evaluate the electrophysiological mechanism/s of acupuncture and test the hypothesis that APs and acupuncture meridians are electrically connected. In order to conduct relevant experiments, a high-quality system that can reliably measure skin impedance at multiple sites over extended time periods is needed. Such a system is not commercially available. Over the past year our team has designed and built a single channel impedance AC measuring system that can reliably acquire skin impedance data over one hour, calculate skin impedance, and store the data. The specific aims of this project are to: 1) design and develop the hardware, firmware and software for an automated 8-channel module prototype that will continuously measure skin resistance and capacitance simultaneously, at 8 anatomical sites, for up to 4 hours; 2) to determine the reliability of skin resistance and capacitance measurements using the 8-channel system at 4 AP's and 4 non AP sites in 30 healthy participants and; 3) to characterize the feasibility and market viability of an expanded system, based on the 8-channel prototype. In a subsequent Phase II STTR an ambulatory 32-channel system capable of recording skin impedance measurements over a 24 hour period at 32 sites will be developed. Miridia Technology intends to market two commercial versions of equipment based on this prototype. One will serve as a clinical tool for acupuncturists and other practitioners. The second version, which will have a smaller commercial market will be a research-quality instrument designed for clinical investigators. A commercially available multichannel system that can reliably record skin impedance at numerous acupuncture points simultaneously, will serve as a diagnostic tool for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) practitioners worldwide, particularly for acupuncturists and homeopaths. The more sophisticated research instrument to be produced in this project will be invaluable to investigators who are exploring the electromagnetic hypotheses of acupuncture's mechanism as well as those involved in clinical trials of acupuncture. A commercially available multichannel system that can reliably record skin impedance at numerous acupuncture points simultaneously, will serve as a diagnostic tool for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) practitioners worldwide, particularly for acupuncturists and homeopaths. The more sophisticated research instrument to be produced in this project will be invaluable to investigators who are exploring the electromagnetic hypotheses of acupuncture's mechanism as well as those involved in clinical trials of acupuncture.

描述（由申请人提供）：在本第1阶段STTR中，Miridia Technology Inc.将与国家自然医学学院的针灸研究人员合作，设计，开发和测试8通道阻抗测量系统的硬件，固件和软件。该原型系统将能够在几个小时内同时测量多个穴位（AP）和非针灸部位的皮肤阻抗。我们的长期目标是评估针灸的电生理机制，并验证AP和针灸经络电连接的假设。为了进行相关的实验，需要一个高质量的系统，可以可靠地测量皮肤阻抗在多个地点在延长的时间段。这样的系统在市场上是买不到的。在过去的一年里，我们的团队设计并建造了一个单通道阻抗交流测量系统，可以在一个小时内可靠地获取皮肤阻抗数据，计算皮肤阻抗并存储数据。该项目的具体目标是：1）设计和开发用于自动化8通道模块原型的硬件、固件和软件，该模块将在8个解剖部位同时连续测量皮肤电阻和电容，长达4小时; 2）确定在30名健康参与者中使用8通道系统在4个AP和4个非AP部位处测量皮肤电阻和电容的可靠性; 3）以8通道原型为基础，表征扩展系统的可行性和市场生存能力。在随后的II期STTR中，将开发一种能够在32个部位记录24小时内皮肤阻抗测量值的动态32通道系统。Miridia技术公司打算在此原型的基础上推出两种商业版本的设备。其中一个将作为针灸师和其他从业者的临床工具。第二个版本将有一个较小的商业市场，将是一个为临床研究者设计的研究质量的仪器。一种可以同时可靠地记录多个穴位皮肤阻抗的市售多通道系统，将作为全球补充和替代医学（CAM）从业者的诊断工具，特别是针灸师和顺势疗法医生。在这个项目中产生的更复杂的研究仪器将是非常宝贵的研究人员谁正在探索针灸的机制，以及那些参与针灸的临床试验的电磁假说。一种可以同时可靠地记录多个穴位皮肤阻抗的市售多通道系统，将作为全球补充和替代医学（CAM）从业者的诊断工具，特别是针灸师和顺势疗法医生。在这个项目中产生的更复杂的研究仪器将是非常宝贵的研究人员谁正在探索针灸的机制，以及那些参与针灸的临床试验的电磁假说。