The Heatbeam Dolorimeter - as developed to concept prototype stage and as used by the principal investigator - is a non-contact radiant heat thermal stimulator together with instrumentation for sensing patient response. By virtue of its non- contact design, it avoids the methodological problems in sensory testing caused by simultaneous stimulation of more than one sensory modality. It is used to measure the pain tolerance level at various cutaneous sites on the body. According to the findings of prior research cited below, by the use of this device the physician can accomplish three diagnostic goals not presently available by any other means: (1) The objective diagnosis of the state or existence of chronic pain, (2) the objective quantification of cutaneous sensory deficits, and (3) the objective quantification of analgesic response to opiate (morphine-type) drugs. The present proposal is to improve upon the current electromechanical concept prototype, the subject of a current patent application, to bring it to commercial readiness by incorporating computer-based technologies for the devices' operation, data storage, data transformation and output.
