The Apparatus for Meridian Identification (AMI): A promising electrodermal device for Traditional Chinese Medicine and biofield science. Part I

This is the first part of a research work to study the reliability of the Apparatus for Meridian Identification (AMI), an electrodermal device that measures the response of acupuncture points (acupoints) located on the tips of fingers and toes. The AMI was invented by Hiroshi Motoyama, a Japanese scientist who dedicated his life to studying the bioenergetics of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) meridians. In this first part, the literature reviews on TCM and the AMI, as well as the functioning of the device, are reported. Specifically, medical and biophysical studies supporting the meridian theory are discussed, as well as biofield experiments performed with the AMI. The working of the AMI is explored, explaining in detail its parameters and their relation to the skin electrical activity. In the second part, previous reliability studies on acupoint electrodermal devices will be reviewed, supporting their use in biofield science, and comparing their characteristics and performance with those of the AMI. An original experiment will also be presented: The AMI was used on 100 healthy participants, to evaluate whether it could provide meaningful assessments of their biofield and subtle energy anatomy, in accordance with TCM principles. Results were positive, confirming the usefulness and reliability of the AMI for biofield science.