Patent ID: 7727170

Claim:
A hysteretic palpatory training apparatus comprising: means for hysteretically resisting an applied palpatory force; means for supporting the means for hysteretically resisting such that said means for hysteretically resisting is moveable in response to the application of the palpatory force; and means for measuring displacement of the means for hysteretically resisting in response to the application of the palpatory force thereto, wherein the means for hysteretically resisting includes one of the following: a wire having a coefficient of elasticity between 0.0 and 1.0, exclusive, wherein said wire is disposed on the means for supporting for hysteretically deforming transverse to a longitudinal axis of said wire; or a series of wires supported by the means for supporting in a manner to be engaged one-at-a-time in response to the application of an increasing palpatory force on one of said wires in said series, wherein each wire has a coefficient of elasticity between 0.0 and 1.0, exclusive, and each wire is disposed on the means for supporting for hysteretically deforming transverse to a longitudinal axis of said wire.