A portable non-contact tremor vibration measurement and classification apparatus

Abstract

Tremors are the most common type of movement disorder and affect the lives of those experiencing them. The efficacy of tremor therapies varies according to the aetiology of the tremor and its correct diagnosis. This study develops a portable measurement device capable of noncontact measurement of the tremor, which could assist in tremor diagnosis and classification. The performance of this device was assessed through a validation process using a shaker at a controlled frequency to measure human tremors, and the device was able to measure vibrations of 50 Hz accurately, which is more than twice the frequency of tremors produced by humans. Then, the device is tested to measure the tremors for two different activation conditions: rest and postural, for both hand and leg. The measured non-contact tremor vibration data successfully led to tremor classification in the subjects already diagnosed using a contact accelerometer.