Wearable Device for Parkinson's Tremor Monitoring: A Low-Cost Device Using 3D Printing for Research and Education.

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a growing neurodegenerative disorder, with increasing global prevalence and challenges in both diagnosis and education. To assist in researching the domain of medical equipment and education training, this paper presents the design and implementation of wearable device for continuous tremor monitoring in PD patients by using low-cost materials and easy-to-build hardwares. The Parkinson’s hand-tremor monitor (PHTM) is designed to be lightweight and non-intrusive, providing real-time tremor detection on upper-limb by measuring acceleration for both clinical research and educational purposes. Notably, the PHTM is constructed by using fused deposition modelling techniques, offering a cost-efficient and rapid prototyping solution. Powered by a rechargeable battery, the PHTM is designed for portability, with modular components that ensure flexibility and ease of maintenance. In addition, experimental tests are performed with a slider-crank mechanism to verify and validate the accuracy of the monitoring tremor algorithm in real-time updating data. As a result, the PHTM meets design criteria, which consists of being lightweight, approximately 115 grams, and low-cost, around $97, with fast manufacturing time, being 10 hours. Furthermore, the monitoring tremor algorithm operates with results following the motion of the slider-crank mechanism and feedback the real-time data on software designed for smartphones.