Essential tremor quantification based on the combined use of a smartphone and a smartwatch: The NetMD study

Abstract

Background: The use of wearable technology is an emerging field of research in movement disorders. This paper introduces a clinical study to evaluate the feasibility, clinical correlation and reliability of using a system based in smartwatches to quantify tremor in essential tremor (ET) patients and check its acceptance as clinical monitoring tool. New method: The system is based on a commercial smartwatch and an Android smartphone. An investigational Android application controls the process of recording raw data from the smartwatch three-dimensional gyroscopes. Thirty-four ET patients were consecutively enrolled in the experiments and assessed along one year. Arm tremor was videofilmed and scored using the Fahn-Tolosa-Marin Tremor Rating Scale (FTM-TRS). Tremor intensity was quantified with the root mean square of angular velocity measured in the patients’ wrists. Results: Eighty-two assessments with smartwatches were performed. Spearman's correlation coefficients (ρ) between clinical tremor (FTM-TRS) scores and smartwatch measures for tremor intensity were 0.590 at rest; ρ = 0.738 in steady posture; ρ = 0.189 in finger-to-nose maneuvers; and ρ = 0.652 in pouring water task. Smartwatch reliability was checked by intraclass realiability coefficients: 0.85, 0.95, 0.91, 0.95 respectively. Most of patients showed good acceptance of the system. Comparison with existing method(s): This commodity hardware contributes to quantify tremor objectively in a consulting-room by customized Android smart devices as clinical monitoring tool. Conclusions: The NetMD system for tremor analysis is feasible, well-correlated with clinical scores, reliable and well-accepted by patients to tremor follow-up. Therefore, it could be an option to objectively quantify tremor in ET patients during their regular follow-up.