Monitoring symptoms of Parkinson's disease to improve quality of life
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Wolverhampton
Department Name: Faculty of Education, Health & Wellbeing
Abstract
Parkinson's disease affects 1% of adults over 60 years old, and due to an ageing population, its prevalence is increasing. The disease is characterised by movement symptoms and as there is currently no cure, living well with these symptoms is a priority. Movement symptoms vary during the course of a day and over the long-term, and being able to monitor these symptoms accurately and precisely has various benefits. These include informing current health status to help plan daily activities, and recording changes over time to enable optimization of treatment.
We have a prototype device which accurately and precisely measures key features of upper limb movement relevant to symptoms of Parkinson's disease, while performing a short task. This project aims to develop our current prototype into a simple and easy to use home monitoring tool for people with the disease.
People with Parkinson's disease, their family members, and other key stakeholders, such as clinicians and General Practitioners, will be involved in the project and product design processes. That will ensure we understand the needs of people the device will benefit, to create something meaningful to them. We will also seek their thoughts on how to re-design the prototype including its digital interface, with the aim of providing a user-friendly product and digital output that allows easy interpretation of individual results.
The co-designing of the device will occur in stages so all stakeholders can have ongoing input. The overall development of the device as a home monitoring tool will be based on the information we receive. At the end of the project, we will evaluate the final product and identify early adopters ready to trial the product for home monitoring.
We have a prototype device which accurately and precisely measures key features of upper limb movement relevant to symptoms of Parkinson's disease, while performing a short task. This project aims to develop our current prototype into a simple and easy to use home monitoring tool for people with the disease.
People with Parkinson's disease, their family members, and other key stakeholders, such as clinicians and General Practitioners, will be involved in the project and product design processes. That will ensure we understand the needs of people the device will benefit, to create something meaningful to them. We will also seek their thoughts on how to re-design the prototype including its digital interface, with the aim of providing a user-friendly product and digital output that allows easy interpretation of individual results.
The co-designing of the device will occur in stages so all stakeholders can have ongoing input. The overall development of the device as a home monitoring tool will be based on the information we receive. At the end of the project, we will evaluate the final product and identify early adopters ready to trial the product for home monitoring.
Organisations
Publications
| Description | The most significant achievements from this award were: the development of a new prototype through iterative co-design with user validation of ideas throughout, and receipt of further UKRI Healthy Ageing Catalyst Accelerator funding. All the key objectives were met, taking into consideration the stage of the innovation journey of our device which this award relates to: 1) We innovated our initial prototype through an iterative co-design process with a variety of stakeholders. 2) We developed a new prototype (hardware and software), commensurate with the current stage of our product development journey. 3) We discussed, evaluated and iterated product development designs and features with stakeholders through recording their opinions and suggestions during co-design sessions. 4) We established our current IP position. 5) We successfully completed sustainability activities that included receiving further funding to continue our work, receiving ethical approval for the next stage of work involving user home-testing, and expanding our networks of stakeholders. 6) We recruited early adopters to commence home-testing of our device in the next stage of our work post the current award. 7) As a team we informally evaluated the project implementation and used that knowledge to identify new practices to be implemented in the next stage of our work post this award. |
| Exploitation Route | The findings from this project are being taken forward by the project team in the next stage of the work funded by the UKRI Healthy Ageing Catalyst Accelerator Award. |
| Sectors | Healthcare |
| Description | The extensive patient and public involvement and engagement (PPIE) work which commenced during this award and continues to inform our research activities, has been showcased by Parkinson's UK to promote PPIE in the Parkinson's community. Parkinson's UK published an article in their Progress Magazine which has a distribution of 26,000 members. The article was also published in the Parkinson's UK Research (PPI) Involvement Newsletter on Medium https://medium.com/researchinvolvement/developing-a-home-monitoring-device-for-people-with-parkinsons-3c2fc1107eac and shared with the Parkinson's UK Research Support Network which has over 10,000 members. A member of the PPIE group has been asked to give a talk about their PPIE involvement to the Parkinson's UK North West Excellence Network. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2024 |
| Sector | Healthcare,Other |
| Impact Types | Cultural Societal |
| Description | Monitoring symptoms of Parkinson's disease to improve quality of life |
| Amount | £102,480 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | ES/Y00762X/1 |
| Organisation | Economic and Social Research Council |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 08/2023 |
| End | 02/2024 |
| Title | New hardware and software prototypes |
| Description | An updated hardware prototype which collects highly accurate data related to common movement symptoms associated with Parkinson's disease, while performing a fundamental clinical hand tapping test used in the assessment of Parkinson's disease. |
| Type Of Technology | New/Improved Technique/Technology |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Impact | The updated hardware and software prototypes were developed in preparation for user home-testing which commenced February 2024. The hardware has also been modified to allow synchronisation with motion capture equipment for future laboratory based trials. |
| Description | Multiple Co-design Workshops |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Study participants or study members |
| Results and Impact | People with Parkinson's disease and their carers/close family members took part in a total of six co-design sessions between February and August 2023, to help inform the innovation of our prototype device which monitors symptoms of Parkinson's disease. These were interactive sessions and provided the research team with useful suggestions towards the development of the device this project centres around and informed decisions on device prototype development. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Multiple PPIE Sessions via VOICE citizen community |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Two PPIE sessions took place with a group were recruited through the VOICE citizen community and consisted of people living with Parkinson's disease, carers of people with Parkinson's disease and people with close friends and family who live with the disease. Five people took part in the first session and four people in the second session. The session was a patient and public involvement and engagement (PPIE) session to guide and inform our current research project on monitoring symptoms of Parkinson's disease. Interesting and lively discussion took place about the current project with suggestions provided to help the ongoing management and direction of the project. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Multiple co-design interviews with health professionals |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | One-to-one interviews with health professionals to aid with co-design of the device being developed for this project. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | PPIE Group Formation & Multiple PPIE Sessions - recruited via Parkinson's UK |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Patients, carers and/or patient groups |
| Results and Impact | Four people agreed to form a Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE) group for the duration of our current research project and completed initial PPIE activities to guide and inform our current research project on monitoring symptoms of Parkinson's disease. The group were recruited through the Parkinson's UK, PPI network and consisted of people living with Parkinson's disease. Three members of the group regularly attended PPIE workshops where interesting and lively discussion took place about the current project. The fourth member was provided with a summary of the sessions and provided their input on topical discussions via written response. This resulted in suggestions being provided to help the ongoing management and direction of the project. The group engaged in a total of four PPIE sessions with us for the duration of this research project on monitoring symptoms of Parkinson's disease. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Talk at Parkinson's support group (Gloucestershire) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | Approximately 30 people from a local Parkinson's support group attended a talk about our current research into Parkinson's disease. The presentation was very well received and interesting and engaging discussion took place afterwards. The group asked to be kept informed about the progress of our research and many group members asked if they could volunteer to take part in future research activities. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |