Patent ID: 8652189

Claim:
A physiological thermal stimulation probe, comprising: (a) an electrically operated temperature stimulation element adapted for contact with tissue on one side thereof; (b) a thermal capacity mass functioning as at least one of a thermal sink and a thermal source, said thermal capacity mass being thermally coupled to a side of said temperature stimulation element opposite to said side adapted for contact with tissue; and (c) circuitry which activates said temperature stimulation element using a feedback loop which takes into account thermal heat transfer to or from said thermal capacity mass, to achieve a desired temperature stimulation profile of said tissue; wherein said thermal capacity mass has a thermal capacity of at least four times a thermal capacity of said part of said temperature stimulation element; and wherein said coupling of said thermal capacity mass to said temperature stimulation element is sufficient so that heat flow between the temperature stimulation element and the thermal capacity mass can change a temperature of said side adapted for contact with tissue of said temperature stimulation element at a rate above 10 degrees Celsius per second.