Researchers at the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) have developed a novel iPhone application that may enable persons with Parkinson's disease and certain other neurological conditions to collect data on hand and arm tremors and relay the results to medical personnel. The researchers believe the application could replace subjective tests now used to assess the severity of tremors, while potentially allowing more frequent patient monitoring without costly visits to medical facilities. GTRI said the program, known as iTrem, could be offered later this year by the App Store, an Apple Inc. website that sells iPhone applications, adding that iTrem will first undergo a clinical study at Emory University and must receive any required approvals from the Food and Drug Administration of the United States. The researchers said they expect the clinical trial to show that data gathered by the program would allow physicians to remotely monitor the degree of disability, progression and medication response among patients with tremor-related conditions. "We expect iTrem to be a very useful tool for patients and their caregivers," said Brian Parise, a research scientist who is principal investigator for the project along with Robert Delano, another GTRI research scientist. They noted that iTrem is a downloadable application, which also promises to be convenient and cost-effective, adding that iTrem also offers a social component that allows people to share stories, pictures and data. The researchers said iTrem utilizes iPhone's in-built accelerometer to collect data on a patient in his or her home or office and directly tracks tremor information currently. “In the future iTrem will use simple puzzle games to record tremor data, which will then be processed and transmitted,” they said. Meanwhile the developers of iTrem are working with the Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC) to form a startup company based on iTrem and future applications that might take advantage of iPhone capabilities. GTRI said it is investigating other consumer technologies with diagnostic potential, including the tiny gyroscopes now available in some cellular phones. Story by: Samuel Nii Narku Dowuona/Adom News/Ghana