Researchers from the Universidad Politecnica de Madrid are developing a tool that will allow doctors to easily evaluate the degree and type of the tremors caused in the upper limbs by some neurological disorders.
The DIMETER system makes it easier for doctors and other health professionals to objectively evaluate the tremors exhibited in the hands and fingers of patients affected by some disorders that impair their motor skills, such as Parkinson, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease.
To make such measurements, DIMETER uses an electromechanical apparatus that is controlled by the hand or finger of the affected patient and registers the movement and the forces that are generated. Using this device and a computer monitor, doctors execute a series of virtual static and motion tests, such as trying to keep the hand at rest, or describing a set movement, like a straight line or a spiral. In any of these tests a weight can be added to the patient to evaluate the effect on the tremor while the system constantly monitors and records each movement.
The computer gathers the data and processes it to provide the doctor with the information needed for the patient’s evaluation in a numerical or graphical format to the level of detail required. This report is objective and precise and enables doctors to adjust their diagnosis of the condition and monitor the progression of the disease, or the effectiveness of the treatment.
The new device, patented by the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, has been co-developed by the researchers Antonio Barrientos and Roberto González from the Grupo de Investigación en Robótica y Cibernética of the UPM, with the colaboration of the Centro Estatal de Autonomía Personal y Ayudas Técnicas (CEAPAT) of the IMSERSO.