Machine Learning Strategies for Parkinson Tremor Classification Using Wearable Sensor Data

Abstract

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurological disorder requiring early and accurate diagnosis for effective management. Machine learning (ML) has emerged as a powerful tool to enhance PD classification and diagnostic accuracy, particularly by leveraging wearable sensor data. This survey comprehensively reviews current ML methodologies used in classifying Parkinsonian tremors, evaluating various tremor data acquisition methodologies, signal preprocessing techniques, and feature selection methods across time and frequency domains, highlighting practical approaches for tremor classification. The survey explores ML models utilized in existing studies, ranging from traditional methods such as Support Vector Machines (SVM) and Random Forests to advanced deep learning architectures like Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) and Long Short-Term Memory networks (LSTM). We assess the efficacy of these models in classifying tremor patterns associated with PD, considering their strengths and limitations. Furthermore, we discuss challenges and discrepancies in current research and broader challenges in applying ML to PD diagnosis using wearable sensor data. We also outline future research directions to advance ML applications in PD diagnostics, providing insights for researchers and practitioners.