Communications of the ACM
Smartphone App Can Help Doctors Track Severity of Parkinson's Symptoms
Johns Hopkins University computer science students Srihari Mohan, left, and Andong Zahn display the iPhone and Android smartphone apps they helped design to allow Parkinsons disease sufferers to measure the severity of their symptoms.
Credit: Noam Finkelstein
Researchers from Johns Hopkins University and elsewhere have developed HopkinsPD, an application that uses smartphone sensors to reliably score symptom severity in patients with Parkinson's disease.
The researchers think patients could use this app to objectively track symptoms in their home and share this data to help physicians refine their treatment.
The team used existing smartphone components, including the microphone, touchscreen, and accelerometer, to develop five simple tasks involving voice sensing, finger tapping, gait measurement, balance, and reaction time. They then employed a new machine-learning technique to convert the data collected via these tests into an objective Parkinson's disease severity score.
The researchers say this assessment should be especially useful because it does not depend on the subjective observations of medical staff, and it can be conducted at any time of day in a clinic or within the patient's home.
From Johns Hopkins University
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