Shared from parkinsonsnewstoday.com.
A low-cost, self-powered pen with magnetic ink may help detect early signs of Parkinson’s disease by analyzing handwriting.
When the pen was tested, it was able to distinguish Parkinson’s patients from healthy people with an average accuracy of 96%, a study reports.
“Detection of subtle motor symptoms unnoticeable to the naked eye is critical for early intervention in Parkinson’s disease,” Jun Chen, PhD, an associate professor of bioengineering at the University of California, Los Angeles’ Samueli School of Engineering and the study’s lead, said in a press release. “Our diagnostic pen presents an affordable, reliable and accessible tool that is sensitive enough to pick up subtle movements and can be used across large populations and in resource-limited areas.”