Fraunhofer Center for Assistive Information and Communication Solutions – AICOS
08.11.2024
Over the course of 28 months, Fraunhofer Portugal AICOS led the co-design and development of a mobile app that monitors rheumatic conditions using only the smartphone. Our team of experts combined extensive knowledge in mobile technologies, artificial intelligence, and human-centred design to create an efficient solution that is currently being validated in field trials with 30 participants from Portugal and Austria.
The European project COTIDIANA, which supported this effort, ended recently and achieved remarkable results that can help other researchers and contribute to scientific progress in the field of rheumatology. Two articles and a dataset have been published and are available to the scientific community.
About the key outcomes:
1. In-depth knowledge about designing self-report user interfaces for people with rheumatic conditions
One of the key outcomes of the project was the publication of the article, "Self-report user interfaces for patients with Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Diseases". This study explored the challenges faced by patients with rheumatic conditions when interacting with mobile apps for self-reporting their symptoms. Our experimental tests showed that patients perform the best using selectors, also known as buttons. Sliders, which are most common user interface component in mobile apps for patients, obtained the worst performance. The article describes all the study setup and results and we created design guidelines for people creating mobile apps for patients with rheumatic conditions.
2. Understanding of Self-Monitoring Practices and app usage among patients
Another significant outcome was an international survey investigating the self-monitoring practices of patients with rheumatic diseases. The study showed that most patients rarely track their condition, either because their condition is stable, or the value gained from tracking does not compensate for the effort. Patients with worse condition status track their condition more often, and there is an overall willingness in the community to use digital technologies to monitor their condition. These findings emphasize the need for more effective patient engagement strategies and the adoption of passive monitoring technologies—areas where Fraunhofer Portugal AICOS continues to make progresses. “Self-Monitoring Practices and Use of Self-Monitoring Technologies by People with Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Diseases: An International Survey Study” is also available for the scientific community.
3. Creation of the COTIDIANA Dataset
From a biomedical research perspective, one of the key milestones of our project was the creation of the COTIDIANA Dataset. We invited people with and without rheumatic conditions to participate in a thorough protocol of activities, in which we gathered data using smartphone sensors, to enable the creation of algorithms and Artificial Intelligence models for rheumatology. The data collected focused on mobility, finger dexterity, and mental health, and this is the first multidimensional dataset created in rheumatology, providing a comprehensive tool for researchers.
The COTIDIANA project, led by Fraunhofer Portugal AICOS and funded by the AAL programme, aimed to develop an innovative mobile solution for collecting data from people with rheumatic diseases. These conditions affect millions of people worldwide, particularly the elderly, and often result in significant gaps in monitoring symptoms due to the time between medical appointments. COTIDIANA was designed to fill this gap by promoting continuous and holistic monitoring through patient self-reporting and passive sensing.
FhP-AICOS’ expertise in human-centred design, artificial intelligence, and connected things positions us as a key player in the creation of digital solutions that improve patient quality of life and optimize clinical follow-up.
The conclusion of the COTIDIANA project reflects our ongoing commitment to combining technology and healthcare, developing solutions that place patients at the heart of innovation.