A team of researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) has developed a 3D-printed diagnostic pen to help with the early detection of Parkinson’s disease. The pen detects the finest motor deviations in handwriting and could offer a cost-effective alternative to costly neurological tests in the future – especially in regions with limited access to medical infrastructure.
The device is based on magnetoelastic principles. Magnetic particles that react to movement are embedded in the flexible silicone tip of the pen. During writing, the movement generates voltage changes that produce measurable electrical signals in an integrated coil. In combination with a magnetically reacting ink, this creates a precise movement profile. This is then evaluated using a machine learning model.
For the study, a small group of participants drew simple shapes such as spirals or wavy lines. Three of the sixteen test subjects were known to have Parkinson’s disease. The model was able to distinguish between healthy and diseased individuals with an accuracy of over 96 percent. The results were published in the journal Nature Chemical Engineering.
The pen was developed in collaboration with Professor Jun Chen. He emphasizes the low manufacturing costs and the easy integration into existing infrastructures, for example via a smartphone app. The system could therefore be particularly important for low-income countries.
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