A portable tactile sensory diagnostic device.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Biomedical Engineering
• Sensory Science

Background:

• Current multi-site vibratory skin stimulation methods face challenges in precise stimulus delivery, including phase, amplitude, and frequency control.
• Previous two-point stimulator (TPS) development addressed some limitations but lacked portability and advanced control features.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and fabricate an improved, portable vibrotactile stimulator with enhanced control capabilities for multi-site skin stimulation.
• To address limitations of existing devices, enabling simultaneous stimulation of two distinct skin sites with independent parameters.

Main Methods:

• Development of a portable, lightweight vibrotactile stimulator with two independently controlled units.
• Integration of automated skin surface detection for precise stimulus delivery control.
• Utilized a modified Bekesy tracking method to assess simultaneous amplitude discrimination in human subjects.

Main Results:

• The new device offers portability, independent control of amplitude, frequency, and phase for dual-site stimulation.
• Automated skin detection ensures accurate and consistent stimulus application.
• Demonstrated the device's utility by evaluating simultaneous amplitude discrimination in 20 participants.

Conclusions:

• The enhanced vibrotactile stimulator provides a versatile and accurate tool for tactile sensory research in various settings.
• The device's improvements facilitate more sophisticated investigations into multi-site tactile perception and discrimination.
• Facilitates broader accessibility for non-laboratory based sensory research.