An Acupuncture-like Quantitative Mechanical Stimulator

A stimulator that analogs the needle puncture has been designed to deliver quantitative mechanical stimulus to a small area of muscle. A friction coupler is designed to transmit the driving force from motor to a needle which is used to deliver stimulus. Rotation of the needle may be stopped but the friction will be maintained between the needle and the tissue when this friction moment comes to the driving moment of the coupler. Experiments were done on 6 hindlimb muscles in 2 cats and the results show the value of the stimulator in probing the mechanisms of acupuncture.