Using a smartphone to measure your tremor

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Using a smartphone to measure your tremor

Post by admin »

The use of iSeismometer has been discussed in a couple medical articles as an inexpensive guide in diagnostics. And now we have some feedback and practical thoughts from the OT community.

Continue to read further in this discussion about newer smartphone applications such as Lift Pulse which was created specifically for recording tremors and has an easier interface.

Link to article

link to iPhone app

link to Android app

Joan C - posted a very practical use of the same application:
I find the iPhone app iSeismometer to be a great way to show people (including doctors) exactly what you are telling them about your tremors. Turn it on - have them stand and hold it to their leg (no movement on the iSeismometer). Then stand and hold it to your leg (looks like an earthquake!!). The light goes on in their eyes and I've found that even the people who have helped me cope for the last 12 years seem to finally "get it."
Dwight - posted his experience:
I decided to test the iSensometer with my ET. Holding my iphone in each hand It came up perfectly with a tremor of about 6Hz on several tries. OK, I assumed that it works. Next I held it to my leg. Problem. I kept comming up with 6Hz not the 14 to 15 Hz expected. In a side email JoanC said try straping the iphone to my leg. Take my hands off it as it is probably primarily picking up my ET tremors from my hand.

Guess what. Strapped to my leg I got 14 to 15Hz, exactly as expected.
any thoughts or other tips?
gloria
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Re: Using a smartphone to measure your tremor

Post by gloria »

Joan and Dwight - very interesting!

Gloria
Lydia
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Re: Using a smartphone to measure your tremor

Post by Lydia »

When I went in for my appointment with Dr Torres he put his phone up to my leg. He recorded the sound that my leg made. He replayed it for me and it sounded like a helicopter as it is flying away. He was very happily surprised that he could hear my tremor, as was I. So in order to test the experiment he had his assistant do the same with his phone. The same thing happened. Not sure what it all means but it was really interesting to "hear" the tremor.
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Re: Using a smartphone to measure your tremor

Post by admin »

Another free iPhone app, Lift Pulse with a much simpler user interface. This was developed for recording tremors. The primary use of the iSeiso app was for earthquake and similar events. The initial use of Lift Pulse was directed towards Essential tremor and Parkinson's, but strapping an iPhone onto your legs or effected area should have the same results as it being handheld.

The only possible problem is that the maximum results seem to chart up to 15Hz and the normal range for OT is 13-18Hz. So, you might find yourself pushing the limits of the chart. **

There are many premade straps available for iPhones that have been made for people that run with their phones and listen music, or I'm sure that you could devise something similar with a piece of cloth, velcro, or plastic wrap?

LiftPulse iPhone app

Below is an example screen showing a tremor of approx. 6.5 Hz -

Image

Below is a screen shot of the app when it starts, hold the phone, or strap it to your leg and press record. It takes a 10 second recording and then shows the results. It's very easy to use.

Image

UPDATE:

**I received an email from Lift Lab Design, the developer of the LiftPulse application, and in the future they will be increasing the scale to 20Hz to incorporate the range potential of OT. Thank you!
Betty
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Re: Using a smartphone to measure your tremor

Post by Betty »

Hello all....

I just signed on to check for new posts and found this! I was truly amazed to read our tremors can be recorded on a Smartphone! We don't have one, but may be forced to get one at this point.

Thanks so much for the information; I will be checking frequently for more updates.

Betty
gloria
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Re: Using a smartphone to measure your tremor

Post by gloria »

All OT Friends:

I wonder if the SmartPhone might eventually help in earlier diagnosis, especially since this is an easily accessible device. I remember back in 2000 after much searching for a diagnosis, as part of the examining procedure my neurologist put her stethoscope to the hardening calf of my leg as I stood before her. What she heard was the classic sound of the helicopter, her eyes told me she knew what I had however sent me to the lab for an EMG for confirmation.

Love to hear from some of our OT friends that have not posted for sometime, as Mike would say “ How is everyone?”

Gloria
Virginia
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Re: Using a smartphone to measure your tremor

Post by Virginia »

:lol: A long time since I have written on site, but this article will really excite my grown grand children. There will be a wild time comparing all 10 to 12 smart phone on Nana's legs.

Keep On Keeping On!!!!! Virginia {member for 9 years}









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Re: Using a smartphone to measure your tremor

Post by admin »

Keep On Keeping On!!!!! Virginia {member for 9 years}
I do remember reading "Keep On Keeping On" 9 years ago, good to hear from you Virginia.

Sounds like you could have fun with all of your grand-children "researchers" !
gloria
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Re: Using a smartphone to measure your tremor

Post by gloria »

Hello again Virginia: I too remember our "early chats via the website" and hopefully look forward to more updating from " Keep on Keeping On. " All the best, Gloria
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Re: Using a smartphone to measure your tremor

Post by admin »

There's been quite a bit of research on a new device to hold the iPhone, it's called a "knee sock", and it will likely be marketed online for thousands of dollars :lol:

We only had a couple minutes to play with the iSeismometer app and didn't capture the final screen, but the screen below shows approximately 17-18 Hz (waves or cycles between the 1 second vertical demarcation).

If we find some time in the future it would be good to work with this setup a little more and possibly post a mini-tutorial on using this application. If anyone else gives this a try and has some additional feedback please post your findings. And as soon as the LiftPulse application includes the ability to record up to 20Hz, we will try to post results from this too.

Image

Using the iPhone to measure frequency is a less informative
method than commercial accelerometers or EMG analysis.
However, the using of these established techniques is often
expensive, technically cumbersome, and time consuming; clini-
cians often seek more efficient ways of obtaining a quick general
impression. Many physicians already own an iPhone, and use it for
obtaining important on the-go reference information.
link to full article
Betty
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Re: Using a smartphone to measure your tremor

Post by Betty »

Hello all....

I am so intrigued with what I have been reading regarding being able to "hear" our tremors via either a Smartphone or iPhone. As I mentioned earlier, we don't have one, but may have to get one just to be able to "hear" my tremors.

Since I am not that tech savvy, does one need an app in order to be able to use the phone in this way?

I too, remember the first time I read a post from Virginia; always signing off with "Keep on keeping on". We have been in touch through the years and we have been on this site about the same amount of time.

I remember when I first found this site....I was thrilled. I think it was right after it was it was put on the Internet. Jeff, you had a different format at that time, and my goodness, what a change through the years. You have done a wonderful job of keeping things in good order and keeping all of us connected.

I look forward to reading more about "hearing" our tremors.

Betty
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Re: Using a smartphone to measure your tremor

Post by admin »

Hi Betty,

It's always good to hear from you.
Since I am not that tech savvy, does one need an app in order to be able to use the phone in this way?
Unfortunately or fortunately these little smartphones are embedded in our lives. Apps are little applications, similar to running a program like a word processor on your computer.

Apps, can be free or cost a couple dollars and downloaded to your phone.

Maybe you can convince a friend with an iPhone to download one of the apps and try it. iSeismometer is currently free, and the other product LiftPulse is too (although you will need to wait until they make some changes to accomodate the OT tremor.

best regards.
Betty
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Re: Using a smartphone to measure your tremor

Post by Betty »

Good morning Jeff,

Thank you so much for the information regarding "apps". It seems everyone has a smartphone, but we haven't upgraded; we still have a plain cell phone.

I will try to find someone who has an iPhone who might download the app so I/we can hear my tremors. It certainly would be helpful when trying to explain what is going on with us. This is very exciting to read and to know there is another tool out there to help us explain OT....and perhaps help neurologists better understand our problem.

I will write down the names of the apps you mentioned...

Have a good day,
Betty
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Re: Using a smartphone to measure your tremor

Post by admin »

I will try to find someone who has an iPhone who might download the app so I/we can hear my tremors.
Hi Betty

The app described above will present a visual chart of the phone being moved by the tremor. I don't have any specific information on the technique that Dr Torres-Russotto used to hear the tremor.

In the chart, one cycle would be from one peak to the next. The frequency (Hertz) which is "how fast", is the number of cycles within a second. So if the muscle is contracting and relaxing 13-18 times per second (typical OT) that is pretty darn fast.
Betty
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Re: Using a smartphone to measure your tremor

Post by Betty »

Hi Jeff,

I am still so excited to learn of this way to hear/see our tremors. I remember when I was tested by Dr. Seth Pullman in New York in 2002; he had me hooked up to all kinds of machines and I could see my tremors at that time, but didn't hear them. I have all those graphs, but no one can truly understand what is going on unless they experience it ~ or might be able to hear/see them.

Mine were determined to be about 18 hertz per second; so I guess that was pretty fast then and seems to be even more pronounced at this point. I am beginning to feel we must get an iPhone so I can have it when I try to explain what is going on with me.

As I said....this is VERY exciting news to me and I appreciate the graphs and information you have added to this site. I know when you have more information, you will add it as well.

Thanks again; and keep up the good work.
Betty
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