Using a smartphone to measure your tremor

This is a forum for "things"- cane/chairs, books, specialized luggage.... anything that has helped, and what hasn't. Add your own tips and reviews.

Moderator: gloria

podhorodeckisz
Posts: 15
Joined: Thu Sep 09, 2010 9:40 am
Location: Sandbach, UK

Re: Using a smartphone to measure your tremor

Post by podhorodeckisz »

It is good that with modern technology people are begining to see and hear their tremors. Since 1988 I've been trying to convince doctors that I hear a helicopter noise in my ears which is not tinnitus. Only in 2010 did Dr Bain agree the sound was of my muscles vibrating. What confuses me though is that having slow OT I'd expect my helicopter to sound more like a broken down one or one flying in slow motion but it doesn't. Can any of you experts answer that?

Stash
ianacoustic
Posts: 2
Joined: Sun May 12, 2013 6:42 pm
Location: AUSTRALIA

Re: Using a smartphone to measure your tremor

Post by ianacoustic »

Hello,
I'm new here. What an informative discussion, many thanks. I have downloaded 3 apps to my iphone but can't get the audible sound response. I must being doing something wrong, plantes aren't aligning or maybe that's the problem?? Anyway appreciate your thoughts and guidance.

ianacoustic.
admin
Site Admin
Posts: 548
Joined: Fri Jan 16, 2004 5:25 pm

Re: Using a smartphone to measure your tremor

Post by admin »

Hi Ianacoustic

Welcome!

The apps listed above will only chart the tremor, unfortunately there's no audio.

There are some "stethoscope" apps which might work? The original method of using a stethoscope was described back in 1995 [ Brown, P. New clinical sign for orthostatic tremor. Lancet 346, 306–307 (1995)] was to :
"hear the contractions through a stethoscope applied to thigh or calf muscles. The sound has been compared with that of a helicopter."

"orthostatic tremor can also be palpated as a kind of ‘rhythmic shivering’ of the legs, or can be heard through a stethoscope (thumping sound like a helicopter) in cases where it is not obviously visible"

A sidebar story about new technologies and how they may help in the future....

Here's an interesting link to a TED talk by a mathmatician that has come up with a way to diagnose Parkinson's Disease with a phone call: LINK

You never know when or where a breakthrough will appear, maintain hope and keep searching.
Abinadi
Posts: 53
Joined: Thu Feb 05, 2004 3:36 am
Location: Volcán, Chiriqui, Panama (Central America)

Re: Using a smartphone to measure your tremor

Post by Abinadi »

podhorodeckisz wrote:It is good that with modern technology people are begining to see and hear their tremors. Since 1988 I've been trying to convince doctors that I hear a helicopter noise in my ears which is not tinnitus. Only in 2010 did Dr Bain agree the sound was of my muscles vibrating. What confuses me though is that having slow OT I'd expect my helicopter to sound more like a broken down one or one flying in slow motion but it doesn't. Can any of you experts answer that?
Stash
Stash,
No expert here but if you have the chance to assess the frequency rate of your oscillations and can come up with the number to recreate the same sound with electronic equipment, you will probably be able to understand. My oscillations of 14.5 to 17.0 Hz (cycles per second) when recreated with a low frequency oscillator and fed through an amplifier and on to a headset produces the same sound. Remember that even that relatively low number is still 14 to 17 pulses per second.
Rich
podhorodeckisz
Posts: 15
Joined: Thu Sep 09, 2010 9:40 am
Location: Sandbach, UK

Re: Using a smartphone to measure your tremor

Post by podhorodeckisz »

Hi Rich.
Not sure I understand but thanks for your response anyway.
My tremors are verified at 6Hz but the helicopter sound I hear is the same as any other OTer.
Cheers, Stash
Sueb
Posts: 20
Joined: Wed Jun 15, 2011 9:35 am

Re: Using a smartphone to measure your tremor

Post by Sueb »

All this do it yourself technology is great. I have just uploaded Liftpulse to my iPhone and holding the phone in place with a long sock recorded the tremors.

Dr Rodrigues demonstrated to me a new handheld device he has. It attaches to your leg with three stickypad sensors and wires, and you hear the tremors. It DOES sound like a helicopter! He will bring this to the OT meeting in Sydney later this month, so we can all play with it.
admin
Site Admin
Posts: 548
Joined: Fri Jan 16, 2004 5:25 pm

Re: Using a smartphone to measure your tremor

Post by admin »

When we mentioned to the developer of the LiftPulse app that the frequency of the OT tremor often exceeded the 15hz threshold on the current LiftPulse app, Anupam Pathak of Lift Labs Design quickly responded and said that he would increase the test to 20hz to accomodate the OT tremor.

Well... version 2 of LiftPulse was just released, and with it the ability to track the faster OT tremor, - many thanks to Anupam!

And - it's still free.

here's the info from the developer:

What's New in Version 2.0
This is a major update for the Lift Pulse. We now have a versatile, free app that can help you track and manage tremor. Using this app will now help obtain valuable information to learn more about Essential Tremor and Parkinson's Disease. New features include:

* Tremor history -- track and chart your tremor over time
* Record life factors (stress, exercise, sleep)
* Journal your medications/treatments
* Accurate tremor readings

A link to LiftLabs that describes some of the "how-to", although this is for the older version it is still relevant.

You might try placing your smartphone in a knee sock, or possibly a better reading would be with the phone tucked in a band around your upper leg muscle (quadriceps). This could be an "ace bandage" or similar elastic wrap bandage. After you record your tremor (while standing) you will see a frequency spectrum. Your tremor measurement should appear as a peak between 13 and 18 Hz*. The LiftPulse app automatically finds this peak and integrates it to calculate your overall tremor amplitude in centimeters.

OT would "typically" have a finer or faster frequency and a lower amplitude. And this is why it is often not recognized as a tremor. Compared to the slower frequency and the higher amplitude of essential tremor (4-12 Hz - beats per second). The amplitude or distance traveled is why Essential Tremor is also more visible. Parkinsons would have an even slower frequency and a greater amplitude.

*13-18Hz is the most common range of frequency for OT (think of frequency as the rhythm of the tremor, faster or slower)
The degree of linear or angular displacement of the limb or body part, or the tremor amplitude, is generally measured in millimeters or degrees. Tremor amplitude can be accurately assessed using accelerometers or gyroscopes (note - such as used those used in iphones/smartphones). reference - clinical tremor assessment
A quick look at the LiftPulse screen below will show:

A spike along the "Frequency" axis, this should indicate how many tremors per second. 13Hz would be 13 tremors per second

Amplitude - this would indicate how far the limb moved, LiftPulse averages and calculates amplitude in centimeters.




Image
admin
Site Admin
Posts: 548
Joined: Fri Jan 16, 2004 5:25 pm

Re: Using a smartphone to measure your tremor

Post by admin »

Record your tremor: (note - instead of holding phone as indicated it should be held against your leg with an elastic or sock)
Image

Make a journal entry:
Image

Reminders:
Image

Review your history
Image


more information from Lift Labs Design
admin
Site Admin
Posts: 548
Joined: Fri Jan 16, 2004 5:25 pm

Re: Using a smartphone to measure your tremor

Post by admin »

One more thought.

Because OT has a unique high frequency tremor using a smartphone might be useful in identification and logging any changes. But what if you don't have a smarthphone... this may sound like heresy but not everyone needs one.

Remember when we all used paper :) .... why not a journal or diary. Here's an article "KEEPING A PERSONAL MEDICAL JOURNAL – FIVE EASY STEPS". A benefit of this type of journal is that it can include the emotional aspects of OT.

or if you are more inclined to using a form, this site allows you to download a variety of Medical Diaries, Journals, and Logs for free. ( they are free if you download one at a time and only charge if you download the entire collection)
admin
Site Admin
Posts: 548
Joined: Fri Jan 16, 2004 5:25 pm

Re: Using a smartphone to measure your tremor

Post by admin »

"Google has acquired Lift Labs, which makes a mechanical spoon for people suffering from tremors, in a move giving Google new technology for combating neurodegenerative diseases."

http://bit.ly/LiftLabs-Google

Let's hope that this event fuels other companies to enter the assistive device category. Their most successful invention has been a spoon that vibrates in counter movements to reduce tremors. This has been found to be very helpful with Essential Tremor and Parkinson's.

Best wishes to the team and the future of Lift Labs under Google.
admin
Site Admin
Posts: 548
Joined: Fri Jan 16, 2004 5:25 pm

Re: Using a smartphone to measure your tremor

Post by admin »

.

An update to this discussion has been posted > HERE
Post Reply