A device for measuring a
mechanical property of a tissue includes a probe configured to perturb the tissue with movement relative to a surface of the tissue, an
actuator coupled to the probe to move the probe, a
detector configured to measure a response of the tissue to the perturbation, and a controller coupled to the
actuator and the
detector. The controller drives the
actuator using a stochastic sequence and determines the
mechanical property of the tissue using the measured response received from the
detector. The probe can be coupled to the
tissue surface. The device can include a
reference surface configured to contact the
tissue surface. The probe may include a set of interchangeable heads, the set including a head for
lateral movement of the probe and a head for perpendicular movement of the probe. The perturbation can include extension of the tissue with the probe or sliding the probe across the
tissue surface and may also include indentation of the tissue with the probe. In some embodiments, the actuator includes a
Lorentz force linear actuator. The
mechanical property may be determined using non-linear stochastic
system identification. The mechanical property may be indicative of, for example, tissue compliance and
tissue elasticity. The device can further include a
handle for manual application of the probe to the surface of the tissue and may include an
accelerometer detecting an orientation of the probe. The device can be used to test
skin tissue of an animal,
plant tissue, such as fruit and vegetables, or any other
biological tissue.