Static Balance Digital Endpoints with Mon4t: Smartphone Sensors vs. Force Plate

Abstract

Static balance tests are conducted in various clinics for diagnosis and treatment adjustment. As a result of population aging, the accessibility of these tests should be increased, in the clinic, and for remote patient examination. A number of publications have already conducted static balance evaluations using the sensors embedded in a smartphone. This study focuses on the applicability of using smartphone-based balance assessment on a large scale while considering ease of use, safety, and reliability. The Mon4t® app was used to acquire the postural motion using different smartphone devices, different smartphone locations, and various standing postures. The signals derived from the app were compared to the center of pressure displacement derived from a force plate. The results showed moderate to high agreement between the two methods, particularly at the tandem stance (0.69 ≤ r ≤ 0.91). Preliminary data collection was conducted on three healthy participants, followed by 50 additional healthy volunteers, aged 65+. The results demonstrated that the Mon4t app can serve as an accessible and inexpensive static balance assessment tool, both in clinical settings and for remote patient monitoring, which is key for enabling telehealth.

Keywords

• smartphone
• mobile app
• static balance
• force plate
• center of pressure
• sway