A Biomechatronic Device Actuated by Pneumatic Artificial Muscles for the Automatic Evaluation of Nociceptive Thresholds in Rheumatic Patients
In the current clinical practice, the diagnosis of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) draws on the qualitative evaluation of pain sensitivity thresholds which is affected by several source of uncertainties, due to an operator-dependent diagnostic protocol. Taking our cue from the diagnostic shortcomings, we...
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MDPI AG
2020-08-01
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| Series: | Actuators |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0825/9/3/78 |
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| author | Luigi Randazzini Alessia Capace Carlo Cosentino Rosa Daniela Grembiale Francesco Amato Alessio Merola |
| author_facet | Luigi Randazzini Alessia Capace Carlo Cosentino Rosa Daniela Grembiale Francesco Amato Alessio Merola |
| author_sort | Luigi Randazzini |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In the current clinical practice, the diagnosis of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) draws on the qualitative evaluation of pain sensitivity thresholds which is affected by several source of uncertainties, due to an operator-dependent diagnostic protocol. Taking our cue from the diagnostic shortcomings, we have explored the possibility of automating the measurement of mechanical nociceptive thresholds through the adoption of soft pneumatic actuators controlled by an embedded control unit. In this work, we want to show that a purpose-made biomechatronic device actuated by soft and pneumatic actuators is potentially a boon both for rheumatologists and biomedical researchers involved in nociception and physicophysical studies. In the full breadth and scope of the objective diagnosis of RA, the first prototype of a novel biomechatronic device for quantitative and automatic measurement of mechanical nociceptive thresholds has been designed and tested through nociception experiments on 10 subjects. The experimental results show that the designed device can reliably generate the controllable and repeatable nociceptive stimuli needed for the objective diagnosis of RA. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T16:44:33Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-14cd1010aa4d42fc9f1c6f68ac467d32 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-0825 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T16:44:33Z |
| publishDate | 2020-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Actuators |
| spelling | doaj.art-14cd1010aa4d42fc9f1c6f68ac467d322023-11-20T11:40:33ZengMDPI AGActuators2076-08252020-08-01937810.3390/act9030078A Biomechatronic Device Actuated by Pneumatic Artificial Muscles for the Automatic Evaluation of Nociceptive Thresholds in Rheumatic PatientsLuigi Randazzini0Alessia Capace1Carlo Cosentino2Rosa Daniela Grembiale3Francesco Amato4Alessio Merola5Biomechatronics Laboratory, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Università degli Studi Magna Græcia di Catanzaro, Campus Universitario “S. Venuta”, 88100 Catanzaro, ItalyBiomechatronics Laboratory, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Università degli Studi Magna Græcia di Catanzaro, Campus Universitario “S. Venuta”, 88100 Catanzaro, ItalyBiomechatronics Laboratory, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Università degli Studi Magna Græcia di Catanzaro, Campus Universitario “S. Venuta”, 88100 Catanzaro, ItalyRheumatology Research Unit, Department of Health Sciences, Università degli Studi Magna Græcia di Catanzaro, Campus Universitario “S. Venuta”, 88100 Catanzaro, ItalyDipartimento di Ingegneria Elettrica e delle Tecnologie dell’Informazione, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Via Claudio 21, 80125 Napoli, ItalyBiomechatronics Laboratory, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Università degli Studi Magna Græcia di Catanzaro, Campus Universitario “S. Venuta”, 88100 Catanzaro, ItalyIn the current clinical practice, the diagnosis of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) draws on the qualitative evaluation of pain sensitivity thresholds which is affected by several source of uncertainties, due to an operator-dependent diagnostic protocol. Taking our cue from the diagnostic shortcomings, we have explored the possibility of automating the measurement of mechanical nociceptive thresholds through the adoption of soft pneumatic actuators controlled by an embedded control unit. In this work, we want to show that a purpose-made biomechatronic device actuated by soft and pneumatic actuators is potentially a boon both for rheumatologists and biomedical researchers involved in nociception and physicophysical studies. In the full breadth and scope of the objective diagnosis of RA, the first prototype of a novel biomechatronic device for quantitative and automatic measurement of mechanical nociceptive thresholds has been designed and tested through nociception experiments on 10 subjects. The experimental results show that the designed device can reliably generate the controllable and repeatable nociceptive stimuli needed for the objective diagnosis of RA.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0825/9/3/78pneumatic artificial musclesoft roboticshaptic devicesautomated diagnosisrheumatic diseases |
| spellingShingle | Luigi Randazzini Alessia Capace Carlo Cosentino Rosa Daniela Grembiale Francesco Amato Alessio Merola A Biomechatronic Device Actuated by Pneumatic Artificial Muscles for the Automatic Evaluation of Nociceptive Thresholds in Rheumatic Patients Actuators pneumatic artificial muscle soft robotics haptic devices automated diagnosis rheumatic diseases |
| title | A Biomechatronic Device Actuated by Pneumatic Artificial Muscles for the Automatic Evaluation of Nociceptive Thresholds in Rheumatic Patients |
| title_full | A Biomechatronic Device Actuated by Pneumatic Artificial Muscles for the Automatic Evaluation of Nociceptive Thresholds in Rheumatic Patients |
| title_fullStr | A Biomechatronic Device Actuated by Pneumatic Artificial Muscles for the Automatic Evaluation of Nociceptive Thresholds in Rheumatic Patients |
| title_full_unstemmed | A Biomechatronic Device Actuated by Pneumatic Artificial Muscles for the Automatic Evaluation of Nociceptive Thresholds in Rheumatic Patients |
| title_short | A Biomechatronic Device Actuated by Pneumatic Artificial Muscles for the Automatic Evaluation of Nociceptive Thresholds in Rheumatic Patients |
| title_sort | biomechatronic device actuated by pneumatic artificial muscles for the automatic evaluation of nociceptive thresholds in rheumatic patients |
| topic | pneumatic artificial muscle soft robotics haptic devices automated diagnosis rheumatic diseases |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0825/9/3/78 |
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