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Image-based non-contact monitoring of changes in facial skin texture induced by the contact needle technique of acupuncture

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Abstract

In this study, we verified whether or not feature values of the facial skin texture can be used for facial complexion diagnosis. A total of 10 patients with fatigue were recruited and categorized under two groups: acupuncture group and blank control group. In the acupuncture group, the contact needle technique was used, while in the blank control group, the patients rested for 30 min in the supine position. We captured images of the facial skin using a digital camera before and after the intervention and then analyzed feature values from the images. The standard deviation (SD) of short-line inclination angles significantly decreased with acupuncture treatment. There was a significant difference in the SD of short-line inclination angles between the two groups. This study was approved by the Clinical Research Ethics Committee of Kanazawa University Hospital in Japan [for human study: approval no. 2018-154 (2912)] in December 2018.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Japanese‑Traditional (Kampo) Medicine, Kanazawa University Hospital, 13‑1, Takara‑machi, Kanazawa, Japan

    Kanji Kawasaki, Hongyang Li, Mako Iwahashi, Akiko Shirai & Keiko Ogawa-Ochiai

  2. Mukeido Acupuncture and Moxibustion Office, Niku 126-7, Horikawa, Koizumi-cho, Toyama, 939-8081, Japan

    Masaki Tsuda & Takae Takebe

  3. Graduate School of Engineering, Chiba University, 1-33, Yayoi-cho, Inage-ku, Chiba-shi, Chiba, 263-8522, Japan

    Norimichi Tsumura

Authors
  1. Kanji Kawasaki
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  2. Hongyang Li
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  3. Mako Iwahashi
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  4. Masaki Tsuda
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  5. Takae Takebe
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  6. Akiko Shirai
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  7. Norimichi Tsumura
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  8. Keiko Ogawa-Ochiai
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Correspondence to Keiko Ogawa-Ochiai.

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Kawasaki, K., Li, H., Iwahashi, M. et al. Image-based non-contact monitoring of changes in facial skin texture induced by the contact needle technique of acupuncture. Artif Life Robotics 25, 356–362 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10015-020-00626-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10015-020-00626-2

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