Understanding the Physiological Implications of Scanning Kelvin Probe Measurements

Mass General Brigham

Status: Suspended

Conditions: Skin Electrical Potential; Healthy Individuals

Treatments: Other: Skin Moistening, Skin Denuding

Study type: Observational

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT01545973

55R21AT005249-02

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of skin thickness, skin moisture, and sweat gland density on Scanning Kelvin Probe measurements.

Full description

The Scanning Kelvin Probe measures the electrical potential of material surfaces without actually touching it. Although this technology has been applied to non-living materials (e.g. metal and semiconductors) before, it has not been effectively applied to biological materials, much less to live human skin . This project aims to evaluate the use of Scanning Kelvin Probe to live human skin by investigating the effects of skin thickness, skin moisture, and sweat glands on Kelvin Probe measurements of electrical potential. Testing will be performed on the arms and hands of twenty four healthy individuals under different study conditions.

Enrollment: 24 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 65 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• "Healthy" is defined as not having a chronic medical condition requiring daily medications (hypertension, diabetes, hypothyroidism, etc)

Exclusion criteria

• autonomic disorders (sweating irregularities), skin disorders, extensive burns/scars on the hand, tremors, neuromuscular conditions, restless leg syndrome, movement disorders, and implanted cardiac defibrillator/pacemaker

Trial design

24 participants in 1 patient group

Healthy Volunteers

Description:

Human subjects without chronic medical conditions, defined as conditions requiring chronic medication use.

Treatment:

Other: Skin Moistening, Skin Denuding