Use of Smartphones and Portable Media Devices for Quantifying Human Movement Characteristics of Gait, Tendon Reflex Response, and Parkinson’s Disease Hand Tremor

Abstract

Smartphones and portable media devices are both equipped with sensor components, such as accelerometers. A software application enables these devices to function as a robust wireless accelerometer platform. The recorded accelerometer waveform can be transmitted wireless as an e-mail attachment through connectivity to the Internet. The implication of such devices as a wireless accelerometer platform is the experimental and post-processing locations can be placed anywhere in the world. Gait was quantified by mounting a smartphone or portable media device proximal to the lateral malleolus of the ankle joint. Attributes of the gait cycle were quantified with a considerable accuracy and reliability. The patellar tendon reflex response was quantified by using the device in tandem with a potential energy impact pendulum to evoke the patellar tendon reflex. The acceleration waveform maximum acceleration feature of the reflex response displayed considerable accuracy and reliability. By mounting the smartphone or portable media device to the dorsum of the hand through a glove, Parkinson's disease hand tremor was quantified and contrasted with significance to a non-Parkinson's disease steady hand control. With the methods advocated in this chapter, any aspect of human movement may be quantified through smartphones or portable media devices and post-processed anywhere in the world. These wearable devices are anticipated to substantially impact the biomedical and healthcare industry.

Smartphone and Portable Media Device: A Novel Pathway toward the Diagnostic Characterization of Human Movement

“…The gyroscope measures the rate of angular rotation, which offers a readily clinically identifiable metric, especially in consideration of the orientation of a particular joint [1][2][3]22]. In particular the smartphone as a wireless gyroscope platform can quantify the characteristics of the patellar tendon reflex response [31].…”

“…The appropriateness of either device for an experiment quantifying human movement is at the discretion of the research team. For example, the portable media device has a reduced telecommunications footprint, which is restricted to local wireless connectivity for access to the Internet; however the portable media device in general is somewhat lighter and relatively cheaper [1][2][3].…”

“…LeMoyne and Mastroianni have recently emphasized the classification of movement features of the hemiplegic affected and unaffected side. Preliminary test and evaluation has demonstrated considerable classification accuracy [1,2,22].…”

“…Further evolution of the technology capability has been demonstrated with the integration of machine learning for attaining classification accuracy [1][2][3]. The success Ever since the origins of the smartphone, one of its well known features is the observation that the screen will shift orientation based on movement and position.…”

“…This capability is due to its inertial sensor, originally consisting of an accelerometer and now also a gyroscope. With this feature noted LeMoyne and Mastroianni sought to utilize this inertial sensor package to characterize human movement, much like their previous application of wireless accelerometers for similar endeavors [1][2][3]22].…”