Broader horizons are being reached every day as researchers, scientists, and technologists unravel innovative ways to capture data. Innumerable components compose the modern Internet of Things (IoT) and the smart world we’re moving towards, and they can be used to benefit health studies.
One of the most exciting aspects of using new-age technologies is how they can redefine the objectives of research. New types of data can now be used to obtain valuable insights that drastically improve outcomes of health studies.
For example, the following are five ways to expand the scope of your research, elevate study goals, and leverage the power of mobile frameworks like Apple ResearchKit and Android Research Stack.
This is a real possibility today thanks to the fact that research can now be conducted using web and mobile apps. and Android Research Stack.
Today’s smartphones are equipped with the ability to capture health data via frameworks such as Apple HealthKit or by interfacing with wearable devices that record activity, heart rate, sleep information, and more.
It’s now possible to track the effectiveness of treatments and medications on a near real-time basis. You can enroll patients in a study via a mobile app, ask them to take quick surveys about their health from time to time, have them perform “active tasks” in relation to the study, and retrieve health data from their device.
This is another valuable addition to the world of mobile-based research. There are several ways you can track the lifestyle habits of your study participants (with their due consent, of course). This includes activity levels and fitness information, time spent sleeping, food consumption, and much more.
Geographic and demographic access is challenging. This has always been the case – that is, until mobile app-based research studies became a reality. Caretakers and researchers now worry less about the physical on-location presence of participants in a study. Study adherence can now be met remotely with the surveys and active tasks that are part of the study app itself.
Many patients are affected by health conditions that doctors are unable to explain with conventional diagnosis methods or existing medical knowledge. There’s a sense of agreement that the rising level of pollution in the environment is causing various types of allergies and health issues. To be able to put a finger on the cause would pave the way in treating these conditions. Thankfully, there are sensors today that can track the level of harmful chemicals and pollutants in the air.
Installing sensors around areas where the study population frequents, capturing air pollution data at the same time, and having the study participants take surveys to answer questions, can help researchers correlate health experiences with participants’ environment.
Without actually meeting the study subject every day, it’s now possible to capture video and voice samples using the provisions of mobile devices and frameworks. This is invaluable in terms of what it means for more data and greater convenience for researchers.
It helps them infer how variations in facial expressions, voice tone, and actions, or content captured from media samples, can reveal new insights into indicators and influencing factors for various aspects of mental health.
There are many more possibilities and benefits when it comes to using technologies like Apple ResearchKit and Android Research Stack – This is just a sampling. In the days to come, we’re going to see enlightening findings from research studies thanks to what these and other technologies are making possible.
Get in touch with BTC to learn more about the Apple ResearchKit and how it can benefit your health studies.
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