Skip to main content
. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2008 May 19.
Published in final edited form as: J Altern Complement Med. 2007 Oct;13(8):817–824. doi: 10.1089/acm.2007.7193

Table 2.

Commercial Electrodiagnostic Devices

Device Electrical onpout Active electrode Test site Reference electrode Measurement
Apparatus for Meridian Identification (AMI–Motoyama Institute of Life Physics, Tokyo, Japan)b,c 3 V DC square wave for 256 μs 7 7 mm silver plate with conducting gel Ting pointsa 30 mm diameter EKG electrode on ipsilateral wrist “Before polarization” current registered 1–2 μs after electrical stimuli—believed to correlate most with acupuncture processes
Dermatron (Pitterling Electronic, Munich, Germany) (Voll)27 <2 V DC 3 mm diameter brass EAV points throughout the body 30 mm diameter hand-held cylindrical brass electrode Resistance and “Indicator drop” (ID)—the drop in current amplitude ∼10–30 secs after stimuli—believed to correlate with associated organ function
Neurometer (Ryodoraku Research Institute, Ltd., Tokyo, Japan) (Nakatani)d 12 or 21 V DC Cup containing saline and moist wool 24 Points on wrist and feet Hand held “metal cylinder” “Conductance”
Prognose (MedPrevent, Walderschorf, Germany) 1.1 μA DC for ∼223 ms 4.57 mm diameter, flexible spring-loaded probe tip Ting pointsa 6 × 3.5 cm velcro strap to volar surface of forearm Resistance
a

Distal acupuncture points frequently located on the proximal corners of the fingernails. Motoyama H. Measurements of Ki Energy: Diagnosis & Treatments. Tokyo: Human Science Press, 1997.

Note: Superscript numbers represent references in the text.

b

Borg H. Alternative method of gifted identification using the AMI: An apparatus for measuring internal meridians and their corresponding organs. J Altern Complement Med 2003;9:861–867.

c

Voll R. Twenty years of electroacupuncture diagnosis in Germany: A progress report. Am J Acupunct 1975;3:7–17.

d

Schmidt J, Sparenberg C, Fraunhofer S, Zirngibl H. Sympathetic nervous system activity during laparoscopic and needlescopic cholecystectomy. SugrEndosc 2002;16:476–480.

e

Colbert AP, Hammerschlag R, Aickin M, McNames J. Reliability of the Prognos electrodermal device for measurements of electrical skin resistance at acupuncture points. J Altern Complement Med 2004;10:610–616.