Esthesiometer

An esthesiometer (British spelling aesthesiometer) is a device for measuring the tactile sensitivity of the skin (or mouth, or eye, etc.).

Another type of manual aesthesiometer is used to test lower thresholds of touch or pain.

Von Frey filaments are a diagnostic, research, and screening tool, used both in human and animal medicine.

The up-down method is most commonly used,[2] usually requiring a minimum of four tests after the first response is detected.

[3] The Semmes-Weinstein Aesthesiometer, and its variant the Weinstein Enhanced Sensory Test (WEST, e.g., WEST-hand), present nylon monofilaments of approximately the same length (38 mm) and of varying diameters.

This is because an approximately equal area of skin is indented for the heavy and light forces (see Weinstein et al., Evaluation of sensory methods in neuropathy, in Tendon and Nerve Surgery in the Hand—a Third Decade, by Hunter et al.).

A non-intrusive device called a corneal aesthesiometer is used to test cornea nerve sensitivity by using a controlled pulse of air as stimulation.

Weinstein and group created an air-based corneal esthesiometer using gram-force (tens of micrograms force).