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Deriving stair-climbing performance outcome measures using the smartphone barometer: Results of an algorithm
Mette Tengström1, Bill Byrom2, Sami Volotinen1
1Signant Health, Helsinki, Finland.
Contemporary Clinical Trials
|July 30, 2022
Summary
Smartphone sensors can detect small height gains from stair climbing. This technology could enable new remote clinical trial outcome measures for assessing intervention effects at home.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Digital Health
- Clinical Trials Technology
Background:
- Decentralizing clinical trials necessitates novel remote assessment methods.
- Wearables and smartphone sensors offer potential for at-home data collection.
- Existing mobile devices can capture patient-reported outcomes, integrating sensor data is feasible.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the utility of smartphone atmospheric pressure sensors for detecting small height changes.
- To determine if smartphone barometer data can inform a stair-climbing performance outcome measure.
- To explore the feasibility of using smartphone sensors in decentralized clinical trials.
Main Methods:
- Algorithm development study using onboard smartphone sensors.
- Analysis of atmospheric pressure data to detect height variations.
- Testing in indoor conditions to simulate stair climbing.
Main Results:
- Successfully distinguished height changes of 0.6 meters (approx. 4 stairs).
- Demonstrated sufficient accuracy of smartphone barometer for detecting small vertical displacements.
- Indoor conditions were suitable for this measurement.
Conclusions:
- Smartphone barometers show promise for developing novel, at-home clinical outcome measures.
- This technology could support remote assessment in decentralized clinical trials.
- Further development could lead to a mobile application-based stair-climbing performance test.
