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51�Թ��� alum Griffin Hale was listening to music one day while treating his pain with an electrotherapy device. Each pulsating, electric shock seemed to mesh so beautifully with the various rhythms and melodies—it was almost as if he could feel the music.

He began to wonder: how can music and electric stimulation combine to create a new electrotherapy device that delivers a more immersive and accessible therapeutic experience than ever before?��

Nearly a decade's worth of iterating and design has gone into this vision. But a group of seniors in the��Biomedical Engineering program (BME) are helping Hale and his team take the next step on their journey during their��senior capstone design course.

The project, sponsored by startup company��, aims to gather biological data by analyzing the relationship between electrotherapy and skin conductance. This term refers to the electrical conductivity of the skin and is a key parameter that the team is looking to explore in order to help Hale and his group realize some of their product’s untapped potential.

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A histogram representing the various levels of change the group found in skin conductance during electrotherapy.

“We wanted to know if there was any correlation between perceived sensation of electric stimulation and skin conductance. If so, maybe we can use that indicator to create a feedback loop that guides the electrotherapy device to offer varying levels of electrical stimulation tailored to the individual,” said logistics manager Rachel Haug. “We also wanted to analyze the device’s effect on skin conductance. Since skin conductance is often used as an indicator of stress levels, maybe we can take that data and use it to prove the effectiveness of the device.”

To do this, the group purchased an off-the-shelf testing device equipped with sensors to measure skin conductance. They measured 50 different individuals before and after being hooked up to Full Body Sound’s FBS-01 electrotherapy prototype device.

After comparing the data, the team noticed that almost every test subject’s skin conductivity had undergone a noticeable change. But despite that trend, the group concluded that there was no statistical significance or correlation between electrical sensation and skin conductance.

“Most of the data sits within the range of a 25% increase or decrease in skin conductance. There were some outliers below or beyond that, but for the most part our data resembles that stereotypical ‘bell curve’ that you see in engineering so often,” Haug said. “We anticipated from the beginning that this could be a possibility, but it’s still very useful and interesting data for the future.”

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A histogram showing the group's pre-test skin conductance levels compared to post-test levels.

While the systems and test engineers were performing tests and gathering data, the other team members were working on the design element. Using their engineering knowledge and experience with the testing device, they were challenged to design their own sensor that can measure skin conductance just as effectively as the one they had purchased previously.

Not only did the team’s sensor perform just as accurately as the purchased device, they were able to build it at a fraction of the price. It even features an intuitive user interface that is easily accessible for both customers and clients—a stretch goal that the group says took a lot of extra work.

“I completely learned a new technical skill in this program and an entirely new coding language in various softwares to help finish our project,” said quality assurance manager Clare Keeler. “If we were selling this product, we wouldn’t want customers to just see a block of code. A big part of my efforts was just transferring some of the analog data we received from the sensor to a digital output value that everybody can understand.”

With the highly anticipated��Engineering Expo event right around the corner, the group is working hard to make sure they have the data and their working sensor ready for everyone to see. But they will also have a surprise.

“Of course, we’re going to showcase our sensor. We’ll have visual representations of our research,” said project manager Chloe Knape. “But we’ll also have an electrotherapy device available so that attendees can have fun and try it for themselves.”

This year’s Engineering Expo is on Friday, April 25 at the 51�Թ��� Indoor Practice Facility from 2-5 p.m. Make sure to drop by and check out all the exciting projects in action!