Sheng Wu Yi Xue Gong Cheng Xue Za Zhi. 2003 Mar; 20(1): 121-4.

[Research and development on the dynamic system for detecting the force of acupuncture needle during the acupuncture process in the clinical practice of traditional Chinese medicine]

Ding G, Shen X, Dai J, Liu H, Yao W, Li X.

Department of Mechanics and Science Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433.

Manipulations are essential to the acupuncture curative effect. With the technique limited, the researches on acupuncture manipulations can only be carried out with respect to the senses and experience of doctors and patients, thus seriously impeding the modernization and internationalization of acupuncture. Both the modern integration technology of transducer and the biomechanical principles are applied to develop a detection system that can measure the interaction force between the manipulator and the manipulated patient on the needle at each kind of manipulation. Through clinical practice, the force waveforms acting on needle with the manipulations of symmetrical twirling-rotating and symmetrical lifting-inserting were recorded so as to realize the quantitative, objective and real-time detection of the force during the acupuncture process, which provided a new experimentation means and analysis method for the improvement of clinical curative effect and quantitative research of acupuncture and meridians.