Description:
Summary
A home test for peripheral neuropathy.
Technology Overview
For clinicians and patients who are dissatisfied with the battery of clinical tests for peripheral neuropathy, the PeriVib is a portable home system. The PeriVib comprises a toe vibration motor, a mobile application to measure balance and gait, and algorithms to evaluate the data.
The vibration motor applies a vibration stimulus to the toe with constant pressure to test sensation threshold. The mobile application controls and records the vibration amplitude when onset or loss of vibration sensation is indicated. Accelerometer and gyroscope sensors in the mobile device measure functional gait and balance. Combined with proprietary algorithms, the 5 minute test can be easily be performed by the patient themselves with minimal clinical instructions. In twenty-eight patients, the PeriVib performed well compared to testing via a biothesiometer or a tuning fork.
Publication
Jacobs PJ et al., "Design and evaluation of a portable smart-phone based peripheral neuropathy test platform," 2018 40th Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBC), 2018, pp. 1-4. Link
Licensing Opportunity
This technology is available for licensing.