Measuring Skin Electrical Potential With the Kelvin Probe: Minimizing Noise

The Scanning Kelvin Probe measures surface electrical potential without actually touching the skin. This is a pilot study to evaluate methods of minimizing noise during Scanning Kelvin Probe measurements. This project will focus specifically on noise arising from physical movement and environmental electrical field.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Healthy State
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Faraday cage, movement stabilization

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 24

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 65 years (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Healthy volunteers

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age greater than 18 years

Exclusion Criteria:

• chronic medical condition requiring daily medications (hypertension, diabetes, hypothyroidism, etc)
• movement disorders/tremors
• extensive scars on the hand
• latex-allergies
• cardiac implantation, metallic joint/bone replacements (defibrillator or pacemaker)

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Observational Models: Case-Only
• Time Perspectives: Cross-Sectional

Number of groups / cohorts

1

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort	Intervention / Treatment
Healthy Volunteers	Other: Faraday cage, movement stabilization; The Faraday cage is a copper-mesh cage that surrounds the device and test site. It helps eliminate surrounding electrical noise. Movement stabilization will be achieved by placing a velcro strap over the arm to minimize random movements.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Variability in surface electrical potential measurements	This study focuses on the ability of the Kelvin Probe to measure skin electrical potential. Because it does so without touching the skin, it is prone to noise - specifically physical movement and surrounding electrical noise. The variability in surface electrical potential is a way to determine how stable the measurements are. It can be determined immediately after testing - and will be used in data analyses (comparing across study volunteers) approximately 24 weeks after testing is complete.	Within 24 hours of testing

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Massachusetts General Hospital
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Andrew C Ahn, MD MPH, Massachusetts General Hospital

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: September 1, 2010
• Primary Completion (Actual): February 1, 2011
• Study Completion (Actual): February 1, 2011

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: March 25, 2011
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 20, 2011
• First Posted (Estimate): July 22, 2011

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimate): July 22, 2011
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 20, 2011
• Last Verified: July 1, 2011

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Surface potential; Electrical; Motion stabilization
• Other Study ID Numbers: 5R21AT005249 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No