Poster 55 - Drawn on Skin Electronics for Acupuncture Point Validation

Saturday, October 26, 2024

10:00 AM - 12:00 PM EST

Location: Exhibit Hall E, F & G

Presenting Author(s)

Maggie C. Yang (she/her/hers)

High School Student
State College Area High School
State College, Pennsylvania, United States

Co-Author(s)

Muhammad Zubair

Research Assistant
Penn State University
Urbana, Illinois, United States
Shubham Patel, M.S (he/him/his)

Research Assistant
Penn State University
State College , Pennsylvania, United States

Primary Investigator(s)

CY

Cunjiang Yu

Associate Professor
Penn State University
University Park, Pennsylvania, United States

Introduction: The integration of advanced materials and technology in bioelectrical monitoring is transforming medical diagnostics and therapeutic interventions, particularly in the field of acupuncture. Acupuncture, a centuries-old practice rooted in traditional Chinese medicine, relies on the precise stimulation of specific points on the body to alleviate various health conditions. One such point, PC6, or Pericardium 6, is critically important for its reported effectiveness in treating nausea, anxiety, and cardiac pain. The accurate identification and stimulation of this point are essential for achieving the desired therapeutic outcomes.

Recent advancements, such as the development of DoS electronics, have improved the potential for precise acupuncture treatment. DoS electronics utilizes conductive inks, which are notable for their low skin-to-electrode impedance and enhanced conductivity. This combination not only improves overall signal quality but also significantly reduces motion artifacts, ensuring stable and reliable bioelectrical measurements even under dynamic conditions. These characteristics are crucial for improving bioelectrical measurement accuracy and ensuring uniform current distribution across the sensor interface. Moreover, the customizability of the DoS sensor array allows for tailored configurations to fit different body contours, enhancing the accuracy of mapping points like PC6. By combining DoS technology with sophisticated data analysis techniques, such as polynomial regression models, the reliability and accuracy of locating and stimulating acupuncture points like PC6 are greatly enhanced. This not only validates the effectiveness of acupuncture as a therapeutic intervention but also bridges traditional practices with modern medical diagnostics, opening new avenues for exploring the underlying mechanisms of acupuncture.

Materials and

Methods: DoS Ink Preparation: To create DoS conductive ink, a commercial PEDOT:PSS solution was mixed with 10% P-123 by weight and stirred at 800 rpm for 12 hours at 22°C. The solution was then cooled at 4°C. Silver (Ag) flakes, at a 1:2 weight ratio to the PEDOT:PSS solution, were added and stirred for one hour on a magnetic stirrer. This process, ensuring a uniform mixture with enhanced conductivity, made the ink immediately usable, with further stirring optional to dissolve any remaining Ag flakes.
Identification of PC6 acupuncture point using DoS electronics and regression models: The stencil for the required electrode array was fashioned from Kapton tape using a cutting machine (Silhouette Cameo), which was subsequently affixed to the target skin. Afterward, the outline of the stencil was traced using DoS ink. Subsequently, impedance mapping was conducted using Autolab electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, measuring electrode-to-skin impedance across a frequency sweep from 200 Hz to 2 Hz. Due to the presence of environmental noise, which commonly disrupts low-frequency impedance measurements, the impedance curves were irregular. Polynomial regression was implemented to explain the relationship between the independent variable (frequency) and the dependent variable (impedance), where non-linear relationships or variations at specific frequencies may exist.

Results, Conclusions, and Discussions:

Results: Impedance measurements at the PC6 acupuncture point using the DoS electrode array consistently showed lower impedance values between 200 Hz to 50 Hz compared to adjacent positions. This trend was stable across three trials for six subjects (3 males and 3 females), suggesting unique electrical characteristics at PC6. Impedance heat maps, created through second-degree polynomial regression, vividly displayed these differences. Statistical analysis comparing the mean impedance at PC6 across six frequencies against surrounding electrodes further verified these results, highlighting the distinct properties of the PC6 point.

Conclusion: The study conclusively demonstrated lower impedance at the PC6 acupuncture point, indicating distinct electrical properties or different tissue compositions which may align with traditional acupuncture theories. These findings were substantiated by rigorous statistical methods, reinforcing the point’s unique bioelectrical behavior and supporting its specific therapeutic effects in acupuncture practice.

Discussion: The employment of DoS conductive ink was pivotal due to its lower skin-to-electrode impedance, enhancing the accuracy of bioelectrical measurements. This choice was crucial for detecting subtle variations in skin properties which are essential for accurately mapping acupuncture points. The enhanced conductivity provided by PEDOT:PSS with silver flakes allowed for more uniform current distribution, critical in precise impedance mapping. Additionally, the customizability of the DoS array enables adaptations to various experimental settings, enhancing its utility in diverse applications including acupuncture, where precise localization of points is critical. DoS EP sensors also effectively mitigate motion artifacts in bioelectrical signal monitoring, demonstrating superior performance and ensuring consistent signal integrity under dynamic conditions, which is crucial for the accurate detection and analysis of acupuncture points. The application of a second-degree polynomial regression model addressed the non-linear impedance behaviors typical in biological tissues, facilitating a clear distinction of the PC6 point. Moreover, averaging the regression results across multiple trials ensured the reliability of the findings, effectively minimizing potential data anomalies and external noise impacts. The overall approach not only validated the effectiveness of modern electronic methods in traditional acupuncture but also opened avenues for further scientific investigations into acupuncture’s underlying mechanisms.

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