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Monitoring signs of diagnosed Rheumatoid and
Psoriatic Arthritis patients in the palm joints
(MyArth)
The symptoms of RA and PsA:
•
Heat increasing in the joints
•
Swelling of the joints
•
Changes in skin color at the joint
Both diseases are incurable, therefore the most popular
treatment given by drugs that reduce the severity of
the condition.
The main difficult for the physician is to create a
follow-up of the patient's indicators. The
physicians need to receive a generic and quantitative
picture on the patient over time and not only
based on The patient's visit to the clinic / hospital
every few months.
By this project, the physicians will better understand
the severity of the condition and adjust the most
optimal medical treatment.
Two main systems were developed:
•The first system will monitor common symptoms
Among patients using force and temperature sensors
located close to the injured joints (in every finger) by
Connection to the Arduino Mega controller.
•The second system will take pictures from the joints and
will monitor the color changes during the inflammation,
using the image processing algorithm.
Yarden Gilad & Michael Kogan
Advisor: Dr. Nadav Sheffer
Medical Engineering
The goal of the project is to provide quantitative and
immediate data for rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis
patients and by tracking common and prominent metrics
in the MCP joints.
User Interface:
Prototype:
Measuring temperature and
swelling of joints with temperature
(TMP36) and force sensors (FSR) -
connected in parallel to Arduino
controller.
Measurement of joint redness
with image processing algorithm -
based on HSV color model and
focusing on the MCP joints (noise
reduction).
Weighing the measurements'
results using thresholds for each
symptom and using a three-state
truth table classification (healthy,
beginning of a flare, flare).
Each finger classified as individual
case and its condition displayed in
the GUI and the test results saved
in Excel file.
Image Processing:
Consists a wooden box that include all
system components together
Ways of inserting fingers across the
components
Joint Temperature Measurement: performed with
temperature sensors located across the joints (one on each
finger) and fixed by 3D components.
Joint Swelling Measurement: performed with force sensors
that measure the mechanical pressure exerted by the joint
and convert it to electrical voltage. with the printing of 3D
components, the sensor can be steady and optimize for
measurement.
Temperature
sensor
Swelling
sensor
The interface contains eight different
system action icons, a numerical results
table and text box for guidance on the test
process and summary of test results.
Image processing (based on HSV
color model) that done on the left
middle finger - the output is
“extreme red”
Input
Output
Pinky, Index, Middle and
Ring Fingers
Thumb Finger
MCP Joints colored red
Hands of patients with RA and
PsA arthritis
Arduino Mega 2560
FSR Sensor
Temperature
Sensor