Digital monitoring of motor function in Parkinson’s disease using Markerless motion analysis and exergaming
Introduction: Motor impairment in Parkinson's disease (PD) significantly compromises functional independence. While continuous rehabilitation is crucial, traditional models face logistical and economic barriers that limit continuity of treatments. Methods: To address this challenge, we developed a novel exergaming platform leveraging Google MediaPipe for markerless, real-time kinematic tracking via a standard webcam, eliminating the need for specialized hardware and delivering engaging, gamified physical exercises designed for domestic settings. This study investigates the feasibility, usability, and preliminary clinical impact of a 10-session gaming protocol in 14 out-of-hospital patients. Results: = -0.66) scores. Furthermore, the system detected performance incongruence related to medication timing and motor fluctuations. In addition, a session-by-session analysis revealed consistently high patient satisfaction, engagement, and system usability scores, alongside low perceived physical fatigue. Discussion: These findings underscore the clinical validity and high acceptance of the proposed solution as a training and remote monitoring tool. By providing granular, longitudinal data, this highly accessible solution offers a promising approach to personalized home-based functional training for people with PD.
Authors
- Lorenzo Priano (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7012-6501)
- Guido Coppo
- Matteo Bigoni (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5902-657X)
- Gianluca Amprimo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4061-8211)
- Francesca Bellanova
- Alessandro Mauro
- Claudia Ferraris
Institutions
- Politecnico di Torino (IT)
- Institute of Electronics, Computer and Telecommunication Engineering (IT)
- National Research Council (RO)
- Clinical Research Consultants (United States) (US)
- IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano (IT)
- Ospedale San Giuseppe (IT)
- University of Turin (IT)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Frontiers in Neurology
- Published
- 2026-04-15
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2026.1800332
- Primary Topic
- Balance, Gait, and Falls Prevention
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- Politecnico di Torino
- European Commission
- Ministero dell’Istruzione, dell’Università e della Ricerca
- Università degli Studi di Torino