A Review of Assistive Technologies for People With Parkinson’s Disease
By Cunningham, L.M.; Nugent, C.D.; Finlay, D.D.; Moore, G.; Craig, D.; Technology and Health Care, Vol. 17, pp. 269-278Publication Date: 2009
Article provides an overview of existing assistive technology (AT) as well as products in development to aid people with Parkinson’s disease (PD). The symptoms of PD are outlined, including tremor, limb rigidity, akinesia/bradykinesia characterized by impaired ability or a lack of ability to start moving, and problems with walking and posture. Research in the field of AT falls into two main categories: user assistance and user monitoring. Examples of the former include SteadyClicks, a measure of cursor assistance for computer users with PD which is based on freezing the cursor during mouse clicks; Delivering Inclusive Access for Disabled and Elderly Members of the community (DIADEM), a project for development of an adaptable web browser inerface which can dynamically change to suit the needs of the user; Trackball EdgeWrite, an adapted version of a conventional trackball system that allows users to stabilize their hands while using the device; INDIGO, a pair of virtual reality glasses with a monitor at the bottom which displays visual cues such as stripes to improve gait; and a standard walking frame containing load sensors that collect data on the user’s gait to inform design of a future walking aid. AT for user monitoring described include the wearable Vitaport Activity Monitor (VAM) which uses accelerometers to monitor users’ walking patterns around the home; Sensing Health with Intelligence, Modularity, Mobility and Experimental Reusability (SHIMMER), a device for collecting data on motor fluctuations or walking problems in patients with PD; and an wrist-worn actigraph for monitoring wrist movements to determine a patient’s level of PD. Directions of future work for the development of AT for individuals with PD are discussed.
Published by: IOS Press (Website:http://www.iospress.nl)
Link to text: http://www.atia.org/files/public/ATOBV5N1.pdf
