Integrating motion physics knowledge into deep learning for accurate Parkinson's disease classification

Abstract

Presented to the 21st Annual Symposium on Graduate Research and Scholarly Projects (GRASP) held at the Rhatigan Student Center, Wichita State University, April 11, 2025.Research completed in the School of Computing, College of Engineering.Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is a progressive neurological disorder characterized by a variety of motor and non-motor symptoms, significantly impacting patients’ quality of life. Early and accurate detection of PD is crucial for timely interventions and improved patient outcomes. Recent advancements have highlighted the potential of time-series data collected from Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) sensors during patient-performed activities as a valuable source for PD detection. Previous studies have employed diverse data collection methodologies, ranging from single-device setups attached to the patient’s waist to multi-sensor configurations attached to various body segments. However, these approaches often face limitations due to missing modalities or complex sensor setups. To address these challenges, this research proposes a novel hybrid framework for PD detection and classification. The designed Physics-Informed Neural Network (PINN) model integrates kinematics formulas with neural networks to approximate kinematic parameters such as relative rotational angles between body segments. Then, the proposed Bayesian Neural Network (BNN) model classifies the severities of PD affected levels. The proposed method also focuses on data collected using IMU sensors strategically placed on the upper body—specifically the lower and upper arms on both sides, as well as the chest—to achieve simplified yet efficient data acquisition. Given the limited availability of clinical datasets, this study incorporates an extensive data augmentation pipeline. Techniques such as noise injection, Fourier-based transformations, time-warping, and scaling are applied to enrich the dataset, improving the generalization and robustness of the neural network models. By leveraging IMU sensor data captured during multiple activity performances, this work developed a scalable and practical solution for PD detection that reduces dependency on complex multi-modal systems. The proposed hybrid framework not only improves classification accuracy but also addresses critical challenges in current research, paving the way for more accessible and reliable PD monitoring solutions.Graduate School, Academic Affairs, University Librarie