Cell phones report data
| 12 May, 2010 | Adie Chan |
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Once a mere means of mobile communication, cell phones have taken on a suite of other social tasks, including music playing, web surfing, and now data management. Exco InTouch, a UK-based provider of interactive patient communication solutions, suggests that cell phones may be a new way to capture real-time patient data from clinical trials. The devices can also influence patient compliance and trial data quality, the company says. And with the near ubiquity of cell phones in today’s society, Exco InTouch has only had to provide phones to 646 out of some 450,000 patients.
What else could cell phones do for science? Could they be the new field tool to transmit data back to the lab for analysis in real-time? What potential, if any, do phones hold for bench work?
–Jef Akst, Associate Editor, The Scientist
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Obvious one: Combining snapshots in the field with GPS or google maps data for ecological or other geographically important data
Slightly more complex: Combining with print for data gathering. For example a letter to a patient could include a short code (link to URL) or a QR code to direct phone to a secure site for collecting information.
Of course QR codes can also encompass simple forms in themselves, for example to gain permission to gather data.
Accessing social groups social networks – this actually prompted me look for science related groups on LinkedIn and Bingo – found The Scientist!
I bet a lot of grad students are at work finding uses for their constant companion, the cell phone. At UC Berkeley, students & faculty have turned cell phones into microscopes for diagnosing infectious illnesses, http://berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/2009/07/21_cellscope.shtml, used them to transmit ultrasound & CT images, http://berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/2008/04/29_cellphone.shtml, and employed them in real-time traffic monitoring,
http://berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/2008/11/06_mobilemillenium.shtml. I bet I could find a bunch of research-related iPhone apps too. I love the inventiveness of doctoral students.
Along the lines of cellscope and transmitting images, how about live, real-time ultrasound on your cell phone:
http://ultrasound.engineering.wustl.edu/index.php/Cell_Phone_SDK
It was said in the past that some of these phones emmit some radioative particles, that have negative effect on the body system. How true is hypothesis?. If true then don’ you think you are addinig more problems to these patients burden?