Research

Our research focuses on developing new methods to monitor the well-being of and detect pain in non-speaking human patients and animals so that they can be provided with adequate care.

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Preterm infants and several other types of non-speaking patients often cannot convey whether they feel pain or distress. Similarly, monitoring their level of well-being can often be a challenge.

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Likewise, surprisingly many dogs, horses, farm animals, and others live with long-term painful conditions that their owners or caretakers have not noticed. Long-term or chronic pain is often difficult to diagnose, even for an experienced veterinarian.

Changes in the animal’s behavior are often subtle and easily overlooked. That is why many veterinarians and other professionals in animal care have been calling for the development of new methods to gain information on what the animal is feeling.

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We are developing new methods and software to do just that: to gain information on what is going on in an animal’s brain. As the basis for our solutions, we are using thermal imaging, also known as infrared thermography. It is a technology involving the use of a thermal camera to measure the distribution of temperature across any surface, such as the head. Thermal cameras work by detecting infrared radiation that is naturally coming from the surface. The camera itself does not emit any radiation. When carried out properly, thermal imaging does not disturb the animal or human patient.

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At present, there are only very limited thermal imaging methods to gain information on an animal’s emotional experience and pain. At Arador Health Science, we are working towards developing more advanced methods and software that will make it possible to detect pain and distress, and to monitor the level of well-being.