Automatic data-processing equipment of moon mark of nail for verifying some experiential theory of Traditional Chinese Medicine

BACKGROUND: Doctors who practice Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) diagnose using four methods – inspection, auscultation and olfaction, interrogation, and pulse feeling/palpation. The shape and shape changes of the moon marks on the nails are an important indication when judging the patient’s health. There are a series of classical and experimental theories about moon marks in TCM, which does not have support from statistical data. OBJECTIVE: To verify some experiential theories on moon mark in TCM by automatic data-processing equipment. METHODS: This paper proposes the equipment that utilizes image processing technology to collect moon mark data of different target groups conveniently and quickly, building a database that combines this information with that gathered from the health and mental status questionnaire in each test. RESULTS: This equipment has a simple design, a low cost, and an optimized algorithm. The practice has been proven to quickly complete automatic acquisition and preservation of key data about moon marks. CONCLUSION: In the future, some conclusions will likely be obtained from these data; some changes of moon marks related to a special pathological change will be established with statistical methods.