Carles Paul

Marcos Faundez-Zanuy, Olga Brotons-Rufes, Carles Paul-Recarens et al.

In this paper, we present a pressure characterization and normalization procedure for online handwritten acquisition. Normalization process has been tested in biometric recognition experiments (identification and verification) using online signature database MCYT, which consists of the signatures from 330 users. The goal is to analyze the real mismatch scenarios where users are enrolled with one stylus and then, later on, they produce some testing samples using a different stylus model with different pressure response. Experimental results show: 1) a saturation behavior in pressure signal 2) different dynamic ranges in the different stylus studied 3) improved biometric recognition accuracy by means of pressure signal normalization as well as a performance degradation in mismatched conditions 4) interoperability between different stylus can be obtained by means of pressure normalization. Normalization produces an improvement in signature identification rates higher than 7% (absolute value) when compared with mismatched scenarios.

Marcos Faundez-Zanuy, Antonio Satue-Villar, Jiri Mekyska et al.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most frequent neurodegenerative disease with prevalence among general population reaching 0.1-1 %, and an annual incidence between 1.3-2.0/10000 inhabitants. The mean age at diagnosis of PD is 55 and most patients are between 50 and 80 years old. The most obvious symptoms are movement-related; these include tremor, rigidity, slowness of movement and walking difficulties. Frequently these are the symptoms that lead to the PD diagnoses. Later, thinking and behavioral problems may arise, and other symptoms include cognitive impairment and sensory, sleep and emotional problems. In this paper we will present an ongoing project that will evaluate if voice and handwriting analysis can be reliable predictors/indicators of swallowing and balance impairments in PD. An important advantage of voice and handwritten analysis is its low intrusiveness and easy implementation in clinical practice. Thus, if a significant correlation between these simple analyses and the gold standard video-fluoroscopic analysis will imply simpler and less stressing diagnostic test for the patients as well as the use of cheaper analysis systems.