UW Medicine seeking 25,000 volunteers to test outbreak-predicting app

Imagine opening your phone and getting an alert that you’ll probably get sick over the next few days.

If you have a smartphone, internet access, and want to earn up to $90 in Amazon gift codes, you could be one of the participants in a new University of Washington study.

In addition to their COVID-19 studies, researchers at UW are looking to evaluate whether or not information from your smartphone can help detect the flu and serious consequences of head injury.

The university is currently recruiting for the Department of Defense-funded mobile study and aims to collect data from 25,000 volunteers who are willing to participate for 12 weeks.

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Researchers will show participants how to download an app that collects information about their day-to-day life. Participants will fill out brief surveys and regularly check in about any illnesses or injuries they may have experienced while the app collects information about phone usage, movement, and voice tones.

All personal data will be encrypted and anonymous.

Those looking to enroll in the study must be at least 19 years of age and can apply at healthstudy.tozny.com.