E-health Support in People with Parkinson’s Disease with Smart Glasses: A Survey of User Requirements and Expectations in the Netherlands

Abstract

Abstract. Recent advances in smart glasses, wearable computers in the form of glasses, bring new therapeutic and monitoring possibilities for people with Parkinson's disease (PD). For example, it can provide visual and auditory cues during activities of daily living that have long been used to improve gait disturbances. Furthermore, smart glasses can personalize therapies based on the state of the user and/or the user environment in real-time using object recognition and motion tracking. To provide guidelines for developers in creating new PD applications for smart glasses, a self-reported questionnaire was designed to survey the requirements, constraints, and attitudes of people with PD with respect to this new technology. The survey was advertised online over an 11 month period on the website of the Parkinson Vereninging. The results were derived from 62 participants (54.8% men and 45.2% women, average age of 65.7 ± 9.1), representing a response rate of 79.5%. The participants were overall very enthusiastic about smart glasses as an assistive technology to facilitate daily living activities, especially its potential to selfmanage motor problems and provide navigational guidance, thereby restoring their confidence and independence. The reported level of usage of mobile technologies like tablets and smartphones suggests that smart glasses could be adopted relatively easily, especially by younger people with PD. However, the respondents were concerned about the cost, appearance, efficacy, and potential side effects of smart glasses. To accommodate a wide range of symptoms, personal preferences, and comfort level with technology, smart glasses should be designed to allow simple operation and personalization.

An upper body garment with integrated sensors for people with neurological disorders – early development and evaluation

“…Usability had only been evaluated in a handful of studies [28]. The readiness to use wearables was strongest for unnoticeable devices resembling ordinary items like watches and clothing, since the appearance in public was considered an important factor for willingness to use the device [29][30][31][32][33]. As expressed by the users, it was important that the sensors could be removed at any time [30].…”

Physical therapy and occupational therapy in Parkinson's disease

“…Examples include 'smart glasses' and 'laser walkers'. Even though these new technological inventions show great promise for personalized and continuous cueing (and are beginning to show positive effects in lab-based studies), further work remains needed to show effectiveness and cost-effectiveness in a real-life environment [32,105,106].…”

Entrenamiento motor en el continuo de la realidad a la virtualidad

“…Los pacientes se interesaron en esta estrategia, sin embargo también manifestaron su preocupación por el costo, apariencia, eficacia y efectos colaterales potenciales que pudieran surgir (40).…”