Pain Measurement Device Using Hand Grip Force Transduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for measuring pain are subjective and imprecise, often relying on one-dimensional scales or questionnaires that fail to accurately capture pain intensity, leading to small perceived changes and difficulties in diagnosis and analgesic research.
Innovation Solution
A device comprising a hollow body with an elastic outer shell and a pressure or force sensor, designed to be gripped by the hand, allowing for objective measurement of pain through the natural reflexive contraction of the hand, which correlates with pain intensity, using an elastic material or fluid to transmit force without hysteresis.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If one-dimensional pain scales or questionnaires are used, then the measurement method is simple and easy to administer, but the measurement precision and reliability of pain intensity assessment deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces subjective verbal/reporting systems with an objective mechanical measurement system. A force sensor quantitatively measures the gripping force exerted by the patient's hand, converting the subjective pain experience into an objective mechanical parameter that can be precisely measured and recorded, thereby resolving the contradiction between simplicity and precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism (the hollow body with elastic wall and force sensor) that mediates between the patient's subjective pain sensation and the objective measurement system. The elastic wall transmits the gripping force to the sensor while accommodating natural hand movements, serving as a bridge that preserves measurement accuracy while maintaining ease of use.
2Ease of operation
If the hollow body wall is made elastic to accommodate hand movement, then the ease of operation improves, but the manufacturing precision and structural stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a hollow body with an elastic wall that can deform to accommodate the patient's hand gripping motion. This flexible structure allows natural hand movement and positioning while still transmitting the gripping force to the internal sensor, resolving the contradiction between operational comfort and structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The hollow body is constructed from elastic material that combines flexibility for hand accommodation with sufficient structural stability to maintain its shape and transmit forces accurately. This composite approach allows the structure to be both compliant for ease of operation and stable for manufacturing precision.
3Reliability
If the hollow body is filled with elastic material or fluid, then the force transmission improves, but the loss of energy through hysteresis increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent fills the hollow body with fluid to transmit the gripping force to the sensor. Fluids provide reliable force transmission while minimizing hysteresis losses compared to elastic materials, as they can transmit pressure changes more efficiently with less energy dissipation during compression and expansion cycles.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables precise and reproducible measurement of pain intensity, allowing for objective classification and recording, overcoming the limitations of existing methods by utilizing the natural reflexive movement of the hand to measure pain levels accurately.
Implementation Method 1
the interior of the hollow body being filled with an elastic material or a fluid, and the pressure or force sensor being such arranged so that the pressure of the elastic material or the fluid can be measured
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a device (1) for detecting and measuring pain felt by a person, said device comprising a pressure or force sensor (2), a hollow body (3) having an outer sleeve (3a) and an inner space (3b), and an electronic unit (5) for detecting the signal of the pressure or force sensor (2). The outer sleeve (3a) of the hollow body (3) is embodied in such a way that it can be at least partially surrounded by a hand, the inner space (3b) of the hollow body (3) is filled with a non-gaseous elastic material (4a) or a non-gaseous fluid (4b), and the pressure or force sensor (2) is arranged in such a way that the pressure of the elastic material (4a) or the fluid (4b) can be measured.