DEVICE AND METHOD FOR THE NON-INVASIVE MEASUREMENT OF STATE OF TENSION, BIOMECHANICAL AND VISCOELASTIC PROPERTIES OF SURFACES OF SOFT BIOLOGICAL TISSUES

摘要

A device and method for the non-invasive measurement of state of tension, biomechanical and viscoelastic properties of surfaces of soft biological tissues includes electronic, digital and mechanical elements and sensors, and a testing end. The elements within the housing can subject the testing end to a mechanical impulse force, and can sense the movement of the testing end. The testing end has a contact surface which can be adhered to the surface of the soft biological tissue, and subjected to a mechanical force in a direction parallel to the surface.

主权项

1. A device for measurement of biomechanical and viscoelastic properties of skin of a soft biological tissue with elastic properties, the device comprising:
a housing comprising electronic, digital and mechanical elements with at least one sensor, a testing end with a contact surface which can be adhered to the surface of the skin of the soft biological tissue, and subjected to a mechanical force by an actuator along an axis of movement in a direction parallel to the surface of the skin; an accelerometer arranged to record the acceleration of the testing end: the testing end being shaped such that the contact surface extends in a plane that is parallel to the axis of movement of the testing end; wherein the actuator is arranged to subject the testing end to a force such that the skin is subjected to a pre-set tension, and then to apply a brief mechanical impulse, while continuing to apply the pre-tension force, and wherein after the application of the brief mechanical impulse the resulting damped natural oscillation is recorded with data from the accelerometer; and a signal processing unit to calculate properties of the skin from the data from the accelerometer during the damped natural oscillation.