TapPD Physician app for iPhone and iPad

This application is designed to study usefulness of recording finger tapping characteristics through a smartphone with built in sensors for assessment of Motor state of Parkinson Disease Patient. The application asks patients to perform simple standardized tests of tapping fingers (index finger and middle finger) as singly or alternatively on a fixed spot on the screen for 20 seconds with each hand. The application records the characteristics of each tap including total number of taps in 20 seconds, contact time and interval for each tap and tap location. This detailed data will be used to look at patterns of tapping over 20 seconds for each patient. These characteristics will be compared for Patients with Parkinson Disease with normal healthy adults and also with their own motor state based on medication use and disease duration. The intent is to recognize digital signatures that can accurately and reliably assess and predict motor state of Patients with Parkinson Disease.

This particular app is intended to be used by clinical researchers to gather research data and is not intended for any clinical use including diagnosis. This app was developed by faculty at Department of Neurological Sciences at University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) and is available to use for any clinical researcher with prior permission of UNMC. Please reach out to the author with any requests.



Primary objective: Provide data on the following measures when screen of smartphone is tapped repetitively.
a. Tap speed (taps per minute)
b. Tap duration (each tap contact time with screen)
c. Tap Rhythm (inter tap duration for each tap)
e. Tap location (relative to the center of circle for each tap)
e. Variability of the data over time when tapping is done repetitively (i.e. pattern of change of each of the above characteristics of the tap over a single effort.

Scenario details:

Finger tapping done over a circle with visual feedback for each tap (color change).
Finger tapping done with each hand index finger one at a time. (Right finger tap, left finger tap)
Finger tapping done with each hand alternating index and middle finger over two circles at comfortable distance. (Alternate tap)
Finger tapping done over 20 second.
Self initiated tap activity at any time.
Scheduled reminders to do the tap
Random reminders to do the tap

Data Capture and Share:

No patient identifiers are saved in the app. A random generated number is assign to each patient. Multiple attempts for each patient allowed.
Data captured for each tap tabulated in excel sheet when sharing
Data captured locally on the phone and secured.
Data shared over email with random numbers assigned for identification of each patient.
Data tables in Excel sheet showing individual tap data.

App Users:

Physician version of the app where data gathered for multiple patients for short periods of time or single entries with ability to enter details for each patient (Individual identifier, age, sex).
Patient version of the app where longitudinal data recorded for one single patient over long period of time with multiple entries which are stamped for data and time of capture.

Visual Interface:

Clean two tone color approach using primary colors.
Clean line drawings for display information.
visual and/or haptic feedback for interaction
Simple graphic feedback after finishing activity (no of taps or tap speed) for patient and a simple graphic display of data over time.

Other Functions

Data form added within the app when registering a new patient.
simple survey for patient (3 questions) related to motor state in PD.

Security:

secured app with encrypted data while on patient phone (until extracted as Excel sheets with patient unique identifier only).
app password protected or thumb scan secured for opening to enter data and see prior data.