Skin Sensitivity Assessment Using Smartphone Haptic Feedback.

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Neuroscience
• Digital Health

Background:

• Cutaneous sensory perception diagnostics are crucial for early detection of tactile dysfunction.
• Current screening tools have limitations in accessibility and frequency, potentially leading to undiscovered or unmonitored impairments.
• Smartphone technology offers a potential solution for widespread sensory testing.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a smartphone application for assessing cutaneous sensory perception.
• To establish Vibrational Perception Thresholds (VPTs) using a mobile device.
• To evaluate the feasibility of using smartphones for skin sensation screening.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 23 participants with varying finger sensation.
• Smartphone Established Vibrational Perception Thresholds (SE-VPTs) were measured by adjusting device vibration intensity.
• SE-VPTs were compared against monofilament test scores, a standard clinical measure of skin sensitivity.

Main Results:

• A strong positive correlation was observed between SE-VPTs and monofilament test scores (r = 0.86, p = 1.65e-07).
• The results indicate high agreement between the smartphone-based method and the clinical standard.
• This demonstrates the accuracy of the developed application.

Conclusions:

• The study successfully demonstrates the feasibility of using a smartphone as a tool for screening skin sensation.
• The developed application provides a promising, accessible method for early detection and monitoring of tactile dysfunction.
• Smartphone-based VPT assessment can improve accessibility to sensory testing.