Motor Movement Data Collection from Older People with Tablets and Digital Pen-Based Input Devices

Abstract

Our study’s aim is two-fold. Firstly, to assess the technical capabilities of digital tablets with digital pen inputs to establish their suitability as data collection equipment for use in screening for Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). Secondly, to test such equipments’ usability in clinical settings by test subjects who are over 65 years of age and would be the typical participants in such screening tests. Before we started to analyze the fine motor movement of older people in order to diagnose the motor movement-based symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease and MCI, we had to gain experience in data collection in this age group. Our goal was to check the quality of the data collected with different devices from older people. First, data was collected using our standard measurement protocol and also we collected real-life handwritten signatures. The collected “in vitro” and “in vivo” data were analyzed. In the second part of the research, we asked older people to solve different writing and drawing tasks on certain digital devices that are able to collect data about their hand motor movement. We found that every device had pros and cons. Overall, the data we collected with them were good quality and provided a good basis for further research. We have also established that the use of such tablet devices to collect data did not pose any usability challenges for participants.