Thermal Stimulator

Identify thermal response thresholds

Deliver warm, cool, and hot pain

Ideal for Conditioned Pain Modulation (CPM) protocols

Temperature Stim hot/cold
Part #: STMTHERM

The STMTHERM is a thermal stimulator that can deliver both hot and cold temperature stimulation to a subject. The STMTHERM can be used to identify participant thermoreceptor response thresholds for a variety of applications. The STMTHERM consists of two parts, the Stimulator Control Unit (SCU) and the included Thermal Stimulation Transducer (TSD191 Thermode) to deliver temperature stimuli to participants. The method of delivery for heating and cooling is Peltier – thermoelectric. The thermal response’s baseline will be the resting (normal) temperature of the Thermode in the ambient environment.

The STMTHERM is an “open loop” thermal stimulator, in that there is no temperature feedback incorporated into the STMTHERM design. Accordingly, the STMTHERM behaves similarly to a conventional voltage stimulator where the electrical applied stimulus is a function of stimulus level and associated stimulus loading. In the context of the STMTHERM, the thermal stimulus at the contact area of the Thermode to stimulus zone will be impacted by the heat-carrying capacity of the stimulus zone. The system is controlled via a voltage signal and the Thermode temperature can be increased or decreased in a linear or step-change fashion. The STMTHERM also has two pushbutton test modes that deliver a five-second increase or decrease, respectively, to the stimulus temperature.

The Manual Control dialog in AcqKnowledge allows the user to set a fixed analog output signal and is a nice way to control the system.

 

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Part #: STMTHERM

Details


The SCU interfaces directly to one of the AMI100D or HLT100C analog output ports for MP160 Systems, a UIM100C analog output port for MP150 Systems, or with added OUT6 for MP36/MP36R Systems. The SCU can be controlled using AcqKnowledge software “Stimulator Setup” or “Manual Control” features. The analog output signal range is ±10 volts, with negative voltage lowering the temperature of the Thermode and positive voltage increasing the temperature of the Thermode. An LED indicator on the front of the SCU turns red when the Thermode is being heated and blue when it is being cooled.

  • SCU Power (12 V DC, 5 Amp ): power supply included, with appropriate US, EURO, or CHINA power cord
  • SCU Fuse: 3.5 A Fast Blow

The TSD191 has a 30 mm2 contact area, incorporates a heat sink and cooling fan, terminates in a 3-meter cable, and includes a self-adhering strap to hold it in place.

IMPORTANT! Proper operation of the TSD191 requires that fan airflow not be obstructed.

Precision Temperature

In order to obtain an accurate measure of the specific stimulus temperature at the stimulus zone, BIOPAC recommends use of the SKT100C Skin Temperature Amplifier Module and TSD202A Temperature Transducer, where the TSD202A is placed between Thermode and stimulator zone.

Closed Loop Control

“Closed loop” control allows continuous temperature readings between the thermode and the stimulating surface to deliver precision stimulation. The STMTHERM device does not have “built-in” closed loop control of temperature, but closed loop control can be achieved with an extended setup configuration that adds the SKT100C Skin Temperature Amplifier and TSD202A temperature probe.  STMTHERM plugs into STM100C and STM100C is set to I/O 15 as input.

Using this setup, precise probe temperature readings are available at any given time. Control channels in AcqKnowledge are then used to modulate the input voltage sent to STMTHERM, to maintain loop control, by monitoring probe temperature.

Response Qualifications

  • All steady-state temperature readings are referenced to contact with air.
  • Rise/fall times to steady-state are referenced to contact with air and to the ambient room temperature during testing.
  • When the device contacts skin, the skin functions as a greater heat sink/cooling source than air, so those performance values will change.Thermal Stimulation data

 

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Variable Temp

Employ linear or step-change temp change

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Cold Stim

Deliver cold temperature stimulation

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Hot Stim

Deliver hot temperature stimulation

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