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Acupuncture Needling Force and Motion Sensor

Award Information
Agency: Department of Health and Human Services
Branch: National Institutes of Health
Contract: 2R44AT002021-02A1
Agency Tracking Number: AT002021
Amount: $674,458.00
Phase: Phase II
Program: SBIR
Solicitation Topic Code: N/A
Solicitation Number: PHS2007-2
Timeline
Solicitation Year: 2008
Award Year: 2008
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): N/A
Award End Date (Contract End Date): N/A
Small Business Information
39 TIMBER LN
SOUTH BURLINGTON, VT 05403
United States
DUNS: 785328191
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: No
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
Principal Investigator
 ROBERT DAVIS
 (802) 578-2483
 RDAVIS@ACUPUNCTUREVERMONT.COM
Business Contact
Phone: (802) 862-8880
Email: rdavis@acupuncturevermont.com
Research Institution
N/A
Abstract

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The long term goal of this project is improvement in the quality of acupuncture treatment. This will be accomplished by developing a tool (the Acusensor) capable of tracking acupuncture needle movement and force interac
tions. The Acusensor will be applied immediately to improve acupuncture training and research, which will lead to improvements in clinical practice. Our specific aims include: 1) Improve the Acusensor prototype which currently measures needle torque, to ad
ditionally measure angular displacement (degrees of rotation), axial displacement (amount of up and down movement), and axial force. 2) Develop a user-friendly software interface displaying Acusensor data in a visual real-time format. This will enable user
s to instantly view needling profiles oriented to needle motion or tissue force response. 3) The Acusensor will be used to characterize types (e.g. tonifying, dispersing) and styles (e.g. Japanese, Chinese) of needle manipulation. By objectively characteri
zing needling manipulation techniques, researchers will be able to design future clinical trials which can answer important questions that have thus far remained untested (e.g. - Was the intended manipulation successfully replicated throughout the trial? A
re certain manipulations more effective than others for specific clinical conditions?). 4) The Acusensor will be used to teach needle manipulation. Acupuncture students will use the Acusensor to enhance their ability to accurately and reliably reproduce ta
rget manipulations demonstrated by their instructors. Needling technique is a notoriously difficult skill to master. This is compounded by the lack of tools with which to evaluate needling activity. By providing profiles of needling via a real-time graphic
interface, this technology will potentially transform the teaching of needling techniques. This technology will allow users, for the first time, to test assumptions and improve practices related to a fundamental component of acupuncture needling. It will
provide a needed tool to acupuncture researchers, educators and clinicians which will ultimately be translated into improvements in the quality of acupuncture treatments for the benefit of patients. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Acupuncture has been used by an
estimated 8.2 million US adults - 2.1 million in 2001 alone. Acupuncture needling techniques vary widely and are difficult to replicate. Efforts to evaluate acupuncture needling have been hampered by a lack of objective measurement tools. The new Acusenso
r technology will provide a needed tool to identify best practices related to acupuncture needling. Data gathered by this tool will be translated into improvements in the quality of acupuncture treatments for the benefit of patients.

* Information listed above is at the time of submission. *

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