Initial assessment of facial nerve paralysis based on motion analysis using an optical flow method

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Samsudin, Wan Syahirah W.^a | Sundaraj, Kenneth^{b; *} | Ahmad, Amirozi^c | Salleh, Hasriah^d

Affiliations: [a] Faculty of Electrical & Electronics Engineering, Universiti Malaysia Pahang (UMP), Pahang, Malaysia | [b] Faculty of Electronics & Computer Engineering, Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka (UTeM), Melaka, Malaysia | [c] Otorhinolaryngology Department, Hospital Tuanku Fauziah (HTF), Perlis, Malaysia | [d] Rehabilitation Department, Hospital Tuanku Fauziah (HTF), Perlis, Malaysia

Correspondence: [*] Corresponding author: Kenneth Sundaraj, Faculty of Electronics & Computer Engineering, Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka (UTeM), Melaka, Malaysia. Tel./Fax: +60126011974; E-mail:kenneth@utem.edu.my

Abstract: An initial assessment method that can classify as well as categorize the severity of paralysis into one of six levels according to the House-Brackmann (HB) system based on facial landmarks motion using an Optical Flow (OF) algorithm is proposed. The desired landmarks were obtained from the video recordings of 5 normal and 3 Bell's Palsy subjects and tracked using the Kanade-Lucas-Tomasi (KLT) method. A new scoring system based on the motion analysis using area measurement is proposed. This scoring system uses the individual scores from the facial exercises and grades the paralysis based on the HB system. The proposed method has obtained promising results and may play a pivotal role towards improved rehabilitation programs for patients.

Keywords: Bell's palsy, facial nerve paralysis, motion analysis, optical flow, Kanade-Lucas-Tomasi method, House-Brackmann System

DOI: 10.3233/THC-151103

Journal: Technology and Health Care, vol. 24, no. 2, pp. 287-294, 2016