A team of researchers at the Temple University headed by professor Chang-Hee Won have developed a tactile imaging sensor, a prototype device capable of quantifying and emulating human tactile sensations. The sensor is aimed for use by doctors to detect or feel lumps, tumors and lesions while performing physical examination on the patients.
The Director of Temple University’s Control, Sensor, Network and Perception Laboratory, Chang-Hee Won stated that using the tactile sensor, doctors can also detect the shape, size, mobility and the elasticity of the patient’s tumor or lesion and further analyze the mechanical properties of the abnormality detected.
Recent studies indicate that cancerous tumors or lesions are larger, irregular and possess harder elasticity. Using the sensor information, researchers can determine whether the tumor is benign or malignant.
The 4.5” portable, lightweight tactile imaging sensor can be connected to any laptop or desktop computer that features a Firewire cable port. Featuring a camera and four LED lights, the imaging sensor integrates a transparent elastomer cube designed to inject light. By using total internal reflection principles, the sensor, when placed on areas of abnormality, retains the injected light inside the elastomer cube unless the surface of the elastomer’s contour is modified due to any tumor or lesion. In such a case, light is reflected from the cube. The featured camera captures the tumor images generated by the reflected light. The mechanical properties are calculated using an algorithm developed by the Control, Sensor, Network and Perception laboratory. The imaging device, developed to assist doctors for detection of malignant tumor in thyroid, skin and breast is not designed to be an alternative for advanced tests such as mammograms.
The Control, Sensor, Network and Perception (CSNAP) laboratory is sponsored by the Pennsylvania Department of Health, the United States Air Force, the National Science Foundation, the Temple University and BioStrategy Partners.
Source: http://www.temple.edu/