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A new platform developed in Japan seeks to move beyond the subjective “pain scale” used in medical settings by directly measuring and even sharing the experience of pain through brainwave analysis.This groundbreaking, though early-stage, technology could revolutionize how clinicians understand and treat pain, but questions remain about its practical applications.
The platform is a collaborative effort between NTT Docomo, a major Japanese telecommunications company, and PaMeLa, short for Pain Measurement Laboratory, based in osaka. It’s part of Docomo’s larger “Feel Tech” project, focused on developing technologies that deepen human understanding by sharing tough-to-articulate sensations. “We are developing a human-augmentation platform designed to deepen mutual understanding between people,” a company representative explained.”Previously,we focused on sharing movement,touch,and taste-senses that are inherently difficult to express and communicate.This time, our focus is on pain, another sense that is challenging to articulate.” Docomo first demonstrated the technology last month at CEATEC, japan’s largest electronics trade show.
The system utilizes a three-part approach: a pain-sensing device, a sensitivity estimation platform, and a heat-based actuation device. Initially,electroencephalography (EEG) is used to measure brainwave activity,which is then processed by an artificial intelligence (AI) model to “visualize” pain as a score ranging from 0 to 100 for both the individual experiencing the pain – the “sender” – and the individual receiving it – the “receiver.” The actuation device then calibrates a sensation, currently thermal, based on each person’s sensitivity, aiming to ensure a consistent experience.
Currently, the platform focuses on thermally induced pain stimuli due to the precision and safety it offers during research and progress. PaMeLa’s prior research leveraged thermal stimulation, analyzing data from 461 subjects using machine learning algorithms to determine pain intensity levels. However, developers believe the technology can be adapted to share pain originating from other sources, and future research will explore conveying both physical and psychological pain. “We believe there are various possibilities for how pain can be captured and shared,” Docomo stated.
Early Reactions and Remaining Questions
While the technology is promising, experts caution that it’s still in its nascent stages. Carl Saab, founder and director of the Cleveland Clinic Consortium for Pain, and an adjunct professor at Brown University, expressed uncertainty about the platform’s practical applications. “For one thing, I’m not clear what the use case is for the platform,” Saab noted.
He also highlighted the fundamental differences in how pain manifests in healthy individuals versus those with chronic conditions. Saab explained that inducing pain in a healthy volunteer elicits a different brain response than in someone experiencing ongoing pain, such as chronic pain or migraine. Healthy volunteers anticipate temporary discomfort, while chronic pain patients often grapple with anxiety, depression, and medication side effects. saab recounted a study where inducing pain with ice water produced relatively clear brain signals in healthy volunteers, but far more complex and ambiguous signals in chronic pain patients.
Docomo acknowledges the need for further validation and plans to collaborate with hospitals to test the technology in real-world medical settings. PaMeLa recently completed a clinical trial analyzing EEG signal changes before and after painkiller governance in surgical patients under general anesthesia, and is also investigating pain related to exercise, injections, and chronic conditions.
Saab emphasized the complexity of pain itself. “Pain is a multidimensional experience,” he said. “When you say you’re measuring someone’s pain,you always have to be careful about what kind of dimension you are measuring.” The development of this technology represents a significant step toward a more objective understanding of pain, but its ultimate impact will depend on addressing these complexities and defining clear, valuable applications.
