Diagnostics of arterial pressure pulse using haptic kymograph: remote diagnosis of vital signs through a telehaptic device

Although most diagnostic systems today largely depend on the automation of signal processing, we also observe experts still utilize their impressions for delicate or hard-to-recognizable symptoms. A good example is the diagnostics of arterial pressure pulses through the tactile perception, especially in oriental medicine. We have developed a real-time telehaptic rendering system where vital signs are captured, transmitted and replicated in a remote site. In this paper we report our developments that deal with network issues on telehaptics. We have also conducted human subject experiments on two haptic replication methods: kinesthetic stimulation with a PHANToM/sup /spl trade//, and vibrotactile stimulation with a new portable system developed here.