DEVELOPMENT AND DATA ANALYSIS OF A ROBO-PEN FOR ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE DIAGNOSIS: PRELIMINARY RESULTS

Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) poses a significant challenge in contemporary medicine, necessitating early and accurate diagnostic methods to manage its progression effectively. This study explores the development and application of the Robo-pen, an innovative diagnostic tool designed to detect early signs of cognitive decline through detailed handwriting analysis. The Robo-pen, equipped with an MPU-9250 sensor, captures three-dimensional coordinates, velocity, and acceleration of handwriting movements, crucial for assessing spatial control, movement consistency, speed variations, and the ability to modulate movement speed and force–parameters often disrupted in cognitive impairments like AD. Participants included 20 patients diagnosed with AD and 18 healthy controls, matched in age and educational levels. Data collection involved tasks such as sentence rewriting, figure redrawing, and digit rewriting, processed using CoolTerm software at a sampling rate of 18 Hz. Descriptive statistics revealed that the AD group exhibited lower mean values for gyroscope and acceleration data, indicating slower and less variable movements compared to the control group. T-tests confirmed significant differences (p < 0.001) across all measured parameters between the AD and control groups. The results support the potential of the Robo-pen as a non-invasive, cost-effective diagnostic tool for early detection of AD. By capturing subtle neuromotor changes, the Robo-pen facilitates earlier diagnosis and timely intervention, potentially altering the disease trajectory and improving patient outcomes. This study marks a significant advancement in the early detection of AD, highlighting the Robo-pen’s promise as a transformative tool in neurodegenerative disease diagnosis and management.