Improving Public Health Using Internet of Things (IoT)
Help us understand the impact of the pandemic on Public Health
Our goal
This study will use commercially available wearable devices to help us better understand how changes in our lives (e.g., the COVID-19 pandemic) have affected our healthy behaviours (i.e., sleep, physical activity).
We are aiming to discover whether information from wearable and IoT devices, like Fitbits and ecobee thermostats, can be used to better understand population-level health behaviours.
The Internet of Things (IoT) is the connected network of physical objects embedded with sensors that collect, act on and exchange data across networks, systems and between devices. Billions of devices around the world are able to transfer data that can be used to improve our environments and society. By harnessing the power of big data, IoT can also use artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to improve decision making and create a smarter world that helps people lead better and healthier lives.
We take your privacy seriously
The data collected by this study is stored in a secure environment, following the best practices in research data storage. Your data is fully de-identified and we only store non-identifiable data.
This study has been reviewed and received ethics clearance through a University of Waterloo Research Ethics Board (REB 42981). If you have questions for the Board contact the Office of Research Ethics, at 1-519-888-4567 ext. 36005 or reb@uwaterloo.ca.
Plinio Morita, Lab Director
What you will do
Those eligible to participate must be 18+ and own a Fitbit (any model) and/or an ecobee smart thermostat (any model). We are asking you to share the wearable and IoT data that you have already collected with our researchers. Please click on the button below to continue. You will be asked to complete the following steps after clicking on the "Participate in this Study" button below:
- Read the information letter.
- Determine your eligibility for the study.
- Complete our online consent and enroll your devices in the study.
- Continue using your device(s) as you normally do. The data will be automatically collected for the study.
Remuneration
Participants will be entered into a draw for a $200 CAD gift card in appreciation of their time (1 in 50 chance to win).
Contact us
Further information
For general inquiries about the Ubiquitous Health Technology Lab, please contact:
UbiLab Director and Associate Professor, Plinio Morita:
plinio.morita@uwaterloo.ca
Research Coordinator, Thoko Phiri:
tphiri@uwaterloo.ca
Our address
School of Public Health Sciences
Room: TJB-2266 (Toby Jenkins Building, North Campus)
University of Waterloo
200 University Avenue West
Waterloo, ON, Canada N2L 3G1
