Covidsense App Back to home

Objectives

CovidSense is a multiscope project that its main objectives revolve around the development of new detection methods for Covid-19, but, also, expand to the societal level.

Technology

Supported by both Android and iOS mobile phones and tablets, CovidSense employs the latest AI technologies to design data driven detection of the Covid-19 disease. It uses audio of breathing and coughing and implements state of the art technologies to analyze and extract useful information about a patient’s status.

Data Privacy

CovidSense is a certified research project of Khalifa University. It gives special care to data privacy and security aspects, taking into consideration the latest EU regulations and national ethics committees.

Covidsense approach

Early Covid-19 Detection

CovidSense aims to develop early and unobtrusive Covid-19 detection based on data gathered from the participants

Covid Test Results Prediction

CovidSense will be able to calculate the personalized risk of a user predicting the results of COVID test.

Contribute to Covid Research

We need as many participants as possible in order to build predictive models and contribute to the early diagnosis of COVID-19.

ABOUT THE PROJECT

ABOUT THIS STUDY
How does this study work?

The aim of CovidSense is to create a smartphone-based app that could provide a reliable Covid-19 risk index to the user before performing any relevant clinical test, monitor his/her symptoms and provide guidance for further actions. In this vein, CovidSense aims to provide a smartphone tool that could:

  • a. collect metadata and self-reported health status data that relate with the aforementioned early Covid-19 symptoms,
  • b.record physiological signals (such as breathing sounds, cough, heart rate) and GPS location,
  • c. analyze the data via advanced machine/deep learning algorithms and devise a robust Covid-19 risk index, and
  • d. provide reliable feedback to the user (via graphs, statistics, guidelines) and relevant stakeholders for handling and fighting Covid-19 spreading.

We would like to obtain data from the interaction with their smartphone, of healthy controls as well as Covid-19 patients. This data, namely CoviData, comprises of analyses of voice characteristics, location, heart rate. These data were identified based on existing coronavirus literature. You will be asked to provide electronic informed consent on the phone app in order to participate in this project. Following this, the CovidSense app will run on your smartphone and will notify you to provide data samples which the app will capture daily. This allows the project to collect data of your daily physiological signals that can be captured with your smartphone and will monitor the risk of Covid-19.


How long does the study last?

The study started in May 1 st , 2020 and the funding will be finalized December 31, 2020. However, the CovidSense project will continue to gather data and refine its predictive performance beyond the end of the funding.

AIM OF STUDY AND PARTICIPANTS
What is the aim of the study?

The aim of CovidSense is to create a smartphone-based app that could provide a reliable Covid-19 risk index to the user before performing any relevant clinical test, monitor his/her symptoms and provide guidance for further actions. In this vein, CovidSense aims to provide a smartphone tool that could:

  • a. collect metadata and self-reported health status data that relate with the aforementioned early Covid-19 symptoms
  • b. record physiological signals (such as breathing sounds, cough, heart rate) and GPS location
  • c. analyze the data via advanced machine/deep learning algorithms and devise a robust Covid-19 risk index
  • d. provide reliable feedback to the user (via graphs, statistics, guidelines) and relevant stakeholders for handling and fighting Covid-19 spreading.

Who can participate?

Everyone. Whether you have tested positive or not you can participate in the CovidSense research program and contribute to Covid-19 early detection and risk management.

Do I have to take part?

Your participation is completely voluntary, and you can withdraw from the project at any time without giving any explanation. You must be between the ages of 18-90 years in order to be eligible to participate. If you decide to take part, you will be asked to sign an electronic consent form with which you agree to participate in the project.

WHAT DATA WILL BE COLLECTED

We would like to obtain data from the interaction of healthy controls as well as Covid-19 patients with their smartphone. These data, namely CoviData, are comprised by analyses of breathing and coughing sounds characteristics, location, heart rate. These data were identified based on existing coronavirus literature. You will be asked to provide electronic informed consent on the phone app in order to participate in this study.\nFollowing this, the CovidSense app will run on your smartphone and will notify you to provide data samples daily. This will allow CovideSense to collect daily data and study the risk of Covid-19.

RISKS, BENEFITS AND PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT
What are the possible benefits of taking part?

The personal benefits would be a better understanding of your own risk. The general benefit will be your contribution to a broadened understanding of covid-19. A better understanding of this pandemic could help in returning to our usual life faster, better community management, and society advancement as well as faster discovery of the virus’ cure.


What are the possible risks of taking part?

There are no foreseen disadvantages or risks in taking part in this project. If you have a concern about any aspect of this project, you can contact the CovidSense helpdesk via email (covid.sense.team@gmail.com). This service is available 24 hours a day.

In case you have any remaining queries please feel free to contact our team KU:

Dr. Leontios Hadjileontiadis: leontios.hadjileontiadis@ku.ac.ae 02-501-8391
Office of Research Compliance: research.compliance@ku.ac.ae 02-607-5255


How patients and the public have been involved in the study?

The public is approached via dissemination activities and the social media, so to participate are co-investigators by providing data everyday of their physical status. The aim is to create a CovidSense community that would contribute in reliably identifying changes in the human body functionality that relate with the Covid-19, including also subtle changes that relate with asymptomatic positive Covid-19 subjects.

ORGANISATION, FUNDING AND REVIEW
Who is organising and funding the study?

The study has been funded by Khalifa University 8474000314 research grant. It is adapted within the Khalifa University research portfolio, to initiate a wide study network and it is organized by Khalifa University and Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece.


Who has reviewed this study?

The CovidSense project is funded by Khalifa University 8474000314 research grant. It is adapted within the Khalifa University research portfolio, to initiate a wide study network. The grant process goes through a long and vigorous review of the methodology, statistics and aims. There is a stringent security protocol for all data

collected. Furthermore, all research in the KU is looked at and given favorable opinion by an independent group of people, called KU RESEARCH ETHICS COMMITTEE, to protect your interests.

WITHDRAWAL AND PROBLEMS
What if I want to withdraw from the study?

You can withdraw from the study at any time by selecting the appropriate option from the profile settings within the mobile application on both platforms. Your personal data are deleted instantly and automatically after you confirm that you wish to opt out.


What if there is a problem?

You can contact the development team at any time by sending an email at covid.sense.team@gmail.com with your feedback and the team will do their best to respond to you as soon as possible and fix the reported problem.

DATA CONFIDENTIALITY, PROTECTION AND STORAGE
Will my data be kept confidential?

We will protect your data to the best of our ability. Your data will be encrypted on your phone and your name will be replaced with a coded ID and therefore your data will be pseudo-anonymised. Neither your name nor your phone number will be used in any reports about the project.


Where and for how long will my data be stored?

We will give special care to data privacy and security aspects. Our Cloud data storage and exchange infrastructure will be based on the Google Cloud Platform® that complies with all the necessary regulations and standards on data protection. Your data will be kept for as long as you participate in the study.


Who has access to my data?

Personal information will be collected for utilizing direct communication with the Department of Health. The data will be transmitted encrypted to servers. The app displays a dated consent screen that the user has to sign, where we ask the user permission to use the data. The data will be used by researchers in the team to understand the relationship of the COVID-19 disease with voice, sounds and the immune system.

Data may be preprocessed and shared more widely with the research community at a later stage. Incidental findings will may be fed back to participants or other health parties. Users can leave the app and delate it at any time. Participants must be 16 years or older. Users can request that their data is deleted at any time by contacting us at covid.sense.team@gmail.com.


Who is responsible for data protection?

Data will be stored electronically in compliance with the UAE law. Your most identifiable data, such as your name, date of birth, address, will be replaced by a numerical and alphabetical code. Study results will be published without revealing any personal information that can lead to your identification.