Electrodermal Screening

The Evolution of Electrodermal Screening

Combining the principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) with 21st Century technology, electrodermal screenings are used in the alternative health field to gather information about the body.

Electrodermal devices take measurements of the electrical energy of the skin on various acupuncture points to gather this information. According to Dr. Reinhard Voll’s research, which is based on TCM, each acupuncture point is related to specific organs and systems. Thus, measuring these points can provide a wealth of information about the body.
dr. voll dermatron gsr device

Dr. Voll’s Dermatron

The first of the electrodermal screening devices was Dr. Voll’s Dermatron. This and later devices use a stylus with a gentle electrical frequency to apply to various acupuncture points on the skin and record each of those readings.

With Dr. Voll’s device, readings of these points could also be taken in relation to a specific substance. The person being screened would hold a bottle of the substance in one hand while the measurements were taken. Measurements within a certain range indicated a biological preference for each specific substance.

The Dermatron measured the electrical potential of the skin by means of a stylus that was manually applied to an acupuncture point. Voll discovered that the skin’s energetic characteristics were reflective of the health or condition of the organ or body system associated with each acupuncture point.

Interro device

One of the first doctors to enhance Dr. Voll’s process through computerization was Dr. Roy Curtain, PhD. In the 1980s, Dr. Curtain developed the Interro device with the help of fellow scientists. By having the digital signatures of several thousand substances downloaded to its hard drive, the Interro device made electrodermal testing for a range of substances a faster and easier process.

Omega Acubase and BioMeridian USA

More advanced devices that came after the Interro included the Omega Acubase and BioMeridian MSA. Dr. Vaughn R Cook, Founder and CEO of ZYTO, developed the Omega Acubase after working for the company that made the Interro device. He then sold this technology to BioMeridian, who used it to develop the BioMeridian MSA device.
Like previous devices, the BioMeridian MSA measures acupuncture points in relation to digital signatures of substances. The software is more advanced, however, in that it can scan for biological preference to thousands of digital signatures representing homeopathic, herbal, and nutritional products.
Biomeridian electrodermal screening device

The drawback of electrodermal screening

As impressive as earlier electrodermal testing devices were in their time, a major disadvantage of using them is that a probe has to be used to touch the individual acupuncture points, and pressure needs to be applied equally to each point at each time to get accurate readings. This makes for a time-consuming process that may not deliver completely accurate results due to human error.
Other devices have tried to simplify the difficulty this type of testing presents by measuring electrodermal response with just two points of contact. However, this method can also limit accuracy because fewer acupuncture points are being measured.

Advancing EDS technology

ZYTO’s software and interfacing hardware represents a major evolution in EDS technology in that it bypasses the original probe method without limiting the accuracy of measurements. Measurements from the ZYTO Hand Cradle are taken from 6 contact points, each with a large surface area to accurately measure electrodermal activity, also known as galvanic skin response (GSR). With this technology, the ZYTO software can analyze over 100 digital signatures in relation to GSR data taken from the Hand Cradle in just one minute.

Other ways ZYTO wellness decision-support technology differs from similar screening tools previously and currently on the market include:

  • A range of software products to fit specific needs
  • An ever-expanding list of quality product libraries and Virtual Items
  • Basic, advanced, and customizable biosurveys
  • Combine software with EVOX perception reframing
  • Scan clients outside of your office using ZYTO Remote
 

To learn more about the ZYTO biosurvey process and what it can do for you, visit the Getting a ZYTO Evaluation page.

ZYTO hand cradle and software displaying responses

Sources:
“BioMeridian | Vantage” Institute of Bioenergetic & Informational Healthcare. Energymedicine.org
Leonhardt, H. and Salzburg, An Introduction to Electro-acupuncture according to Voll” (Munich, Germany: Medizinsich LIterarische Verlagssgesellschaft, 1976).

ZYTO Newsletter Sign Up