A Hot-Cold Sensation Testing Device

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This project is to develop and build a prototype of a portable hot-cold sensor. This diagnostic device will be used to test and record a patient's sensitivity to hot and cold sensation on the patient's limbs. Loss of sensitivity in limbs can be associated with a variety of neurology disorders or impacts from medical conditions such as diabetes, spinal cord injuries, peripheral neuropathy, stroke and trauma. The device will be portable, to be used in multiple settings such as an examination room, care facilities, or therapy clinics. The test is a non-invasive procedure. Currently, no such portable electronic device exists in which the method to examine hot and cold sensation is standardized. Some clinics use test tubes filled with warm water or cracked ice and water for testing. Temperatures less than 5oC and greater than 45oC elicit painful responses so these temperatures should be avoided. Typically clinicians will ask patients to close their eyes and describe the stimulus when they touch their limbs with different test tubes of various temperatures. Sometimes, a tuning fork will be used as a cool object. These techniques are subjective and highly dependent upon the clinician and therefore, the methods tend to differ between clinics. Clinisys, a company incorporated in Alberta which offers medical products, would like to address these issues by designing and manufacturing a hot-cold sensation testing device. The device integrates the key sensory testing tool, and through its electrical components, provides a means to conduct reproducible tests. The device is targeted to be used by occupational therapists, physicians, neurologists and other healthcare professionals. A rechargeable battery will be used to provide energy to the device. The device will digitally display the temperature of the contact probe, record responses of 3-4 levels of sensitivity and allow users to download the recorded results. The proposed device can also streamline and ease the testing process, add safety, accuracy and efficacy to the existing methods used for the testing of sensation in patients; thus revolutionize the clinical industry.