Smartphone sensing technologies for tailored parkinson’s disease diagnosis and monitoring

Abstract

Parkinsonian syndromes are a heterogeneous entity of movement disorders, with various described subtypes. This systematic review aimed to examine the available literature on smartphone applications for assessment of Parkinson’s disease motor and nonmotor symptoms and signs. Papers published from 2013 to 2017, listed in two electronic databases—IEEE Xplore and PubMed—were searched, to identify the works related with smartphone use for PD patients’ diagnosis and monitoring. Full-text articles were analyzed to evaluate the quality of the reported methods and results, considering the validity, reliability, and sensitivity of the techniques used in the measurements as well as the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation guideline. The data from 26 full-text articles suggest that many and relevant data can be collected automatically and accurately via mobile phone. Inertial measurement units as well as capacitive, force/pressure, acoustic sensors were used for the development of smartphone-based tools to improve assessment and monitor symptoms and signs of Parkinson’s disease. Smartphone-based information on upper limbs tremor, gait, posture, balance, activities, and speech may improve quality of healthcare services for Parkinson’s disease patients and their quality of life.