Enabling Tech: Wearable technologies (Milestone 11.C)

Embed wearable technologies as well as pervasive computing approaches in existing and new clinical research, longitudinal cohort studies as well as in clinical trials to enable continuous capture of various types of participant relevant data.

Support development of wearable/sensor data standards and automated scripts that convert incoming data into a standardized format to enable their integration with other types of patient level data (clinical, molecular, digital).

Success Criteria

Introduce the use of mobile/pervasive computing technologies in at least 3 existing and 3 new clinical research studies conducted across diverse populations. The studies should be designed to allow the collection of raw sensor data to enable pooling of data across studies. The sensor collection apps and data collection server infrastructure used in these studies should be built and released as open source tools.
These efforts should include the development of wearable/sensor data standards and support for the development of automated scripts that convert incoming data into a standardized format to enable their integration with other types of patient level data (clinical, molecular, digital).
Support research aimed at discovering optimal ways to integrate digital technologies into current and future trials and optimize the analysis and interpretation of the collected data.

Summary of Key Accomplishments

This milestone is in progress. NIA has supported several projects (many through NOT-AG-20-017) on the use of digital technology, including wearables and sensors, designed to detect changes in physical activity and sleep, for example, that may signal early cognitive decline before typical symptoms are identified by cognitive assessments or biomarkers.

With co-funding from multiple Institutes, NIA supported a large multi-site research platform called Collaborative Aging Research Using Technology (CART). CART engaged four research sites and diverse research participants to ensure that technologies for aging in place are inclusive, widely applicable, and can be easily integrated into a variety of future research studies.

The Artificial Intelligence and Technology Collaboratories (AITCs), funded by NIA at the end of FY2021, are major infrastructure projects that will serve as a national resource to promote the development and implementation of artificial intelligence approaches and technology to improve care and health outcomes for older Americans, including persons living with dementia and their care partners.

Enabling Tech: Wearable technologies (Milestone 11.C)

Success Criteria

Summary of Key Accomplishments

Accomplishments/Implementation Activities

Funding Initiatives

Research Programs and Resources

Research Highlights

Relevant Recommendations