Design of a Prototype for Measuring Electrodermal Signals Through an Ancestral Medicine Approach

Ancestral Andean medicine conceives the energy of the human body as a vital force that balances both the animate and inanimate elements of the cosmos represented by the 3 worlds: Hanan pacha, Kai pacha and Uku pacha. The measurement of this energy, known as “samai”, is performed by the wise men of the community, Yachaks, Healers, Midwives, among others. From biomedicine there are western methods for the measurement of energy, for example, electrodermal activity (EDA). The latter is an adaptable alternative to the approach of ancestral medicine because it can record the biological electrical potential from the 3 regions of the body (head, trunk, abdominal-pelvic region) corresponding to the worlds of the Andean cosmos, i.e., it integrates western biomedical technology from the Andean Cosmogony. This proposal proposes the design of an inclusive and culturally sensitive device for the holistic understanding of health, not only due to the high cost of support devices for measuring and recording energy, but also capable of protecting and revitalizing the cultural values and identity of Andean communities by incorporating this knowledge in the design, as it promotes the recognition and empowerment of these ancestral traditions.