ORCATECH Mobile App for Research

Functionality & Mechanism

Developed by the Oregon Center for Aging & Technology (ORCATECH), this application facilitates passive, longitudinal data collection on participant health and behavior. The system operates unobtrusively on a mobile device, monitoring call and text message metadata, including frequency and communication patterns, without recording content. Its architecture is engineered for privacy, anonymizing all data points through a unique identification number. The application does not require active user input, functioning as a continuous background data collection instrument for research.

Evidence & Research Context

• The application is a component of the Collaborative Aging Research Using Technology (CART) research platform, a suite of technologies for unobtrusive, in-home monitoring of older adults.
• The CART platform was deployed in a study involving 301 older adults from diverse cohorts to collect continuous, long-term data across multiple wellness domains.
• Data from the broader platform inform algorithms that identify patterns in mobility, sleep, social engagement, and cognitive function for health surveillance and early disease detection.
• Associated research details the scalable, technology-agnostic platform design, emphasizing data privacy, longevity, and sharability for the scientific community.

Intended Use & Scope

The ORCATECH Mobile App is designed exclusively for researchers as a data collection instrument within approved study protocols. Its primary utility is the passive, unobtrusive monitoring of behavioral metadata. The application does not provide clinical feedback, alerts, or real-time data analysis. It is intended for observational research and is not a diagnostic or interventional tool.