Patent ID: 8712512

Claim:
An apparatus for exerting force on a subject tissue, the apparatus comprising: a linear motor for generating a force according to a predetermined force profile, the predetermined force profile incorporating at least one motion control parameter, the linear motor being directly coupled to a motor output member to drivingly produce linear motion of the motor output member under direction of a motor controller executing the predetermined force profile; a tissue-contacting member connected to the motor output member for directly proportional linear motion therewith; a load cell mechanically interposed between the motor output member and the tissue-contacting member; a computer for generating the predetermined force profile responsive to a user selection of at least one of a force exertion objective and a motion control parameter; and wherein the load cell provides load cell feedback to the motor controller and the motor controller adjusts the motion of the motor output member responsive to the load cell feedback to substantially conform the motion to the predetermined force profile; and wherein the linear motor is configured to move the tissue-contacting member to contact the subject tissue according to the predetermined force profile and responsively initiate a subject reaction to the exerted force.