Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate the effectiveness of a handheld device on reducing tremor, using Active Cancellation of Tremor (ACT) technology.
BACKGROUND: Essential Tremor (ET) causes action tremors that can severely limit a person's ability to eat, resulting in decreased quality of life. A compact, handheld, battery-powered device is presented that stabilizes a spoon when shaken by an unsteady hand. The device employs ACT technology to sense motion, detect whether the motion is tremor, and move the spoon to cancel tremor.
DESIGN/METHODS: Eleven subjects (9M/2F) with ET performed three tasks (holding, eating, and transferring objects) using a spoon device with ACT turned on and off. Tremor amplitude during these tasks was measured using accelerometers embedded in the device. Tremor was rated clinically by a neurologist using the Fahn-Tolosa-Marin Tremor Rating Scale, and overall improvement was rated by the subject using the Clinical Global Impression Scale (CGI-S). Both subject and neurologist were blinded to whether the device was on or off.
RESULTS: With ACT turned on, tremor amplitude was reduced by an average of 72% in the holding task, 76% in the eating task, and 71% in the transferring task as measured with the accelerometer. There was significant improvement in tremor scores with ACT on compared to ACT off in the eating (1.18 ± 0.98 vs. 0.00 ± 0.45, p=0.003) and transferring (1.18 ± 0.75 vs. 0.27 ± 0.65, p=0.006) tasks, but not the holding task. CGI-S was also significantly improved with ACT on versus ACT off with eating (2.45 ± 1.51 vs. 4.27 ± 0.47, p=0.002) and transferring (2.45 ± 1.37 vs. 3.82 ± 1.47, p=0.04).
CONCLUSIONS: The ACT assistive device can reduce tremor amplitude of a spoon when being used by individuals with ET. The tremor reduction is clinically evident and can make eating tasks easier, potentially improving an individual's quality of life.
Supported by: NIH SBIR grant 5 R44 NS 070438.
Disclosure: Dr. Pathak has received personal compensation for activities with Lynx Design. Dr. Redmond has received personal compensation for activities with Lynx Design as an employee. Dr. Allen has received personal compensation for activities with Lynx Design as a device designer. Dr. Chou has received personal compensation for activities with Medtronic, Inc., Merz Pharma, and Accordant as a consultant.
Thursday, March 21 2013, 2:00 pm-3:30 pm
- Copyright © 2013 by AAN Enterprises, Inc.
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