Bridget Armstrong, Center Scientist, was awarded a $3.5 million R01 grant from the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, and will use these funds to test the effectiveness of a new wearable device: PATCH.
The Platform for Accurate Tracking of Children’s Health (PATCH) device is a small wearable device using open-source software and easy-to-find parts. Many commercial trackers that are able to collect both activity and sleep data are not designed for children, leading to discomfort, distractions, and less precise data for kids. PATCH, however, is made with children in mind while also meeting the needs of research teams.
Dr. Armstrong and her team have a long-term goal of sharing the PATCH device design. This would provide researchers with another tool for studying children’s activity and sleep levels without all the issues related to commercial tracker use.
If you’d like to read more about the PATCH Study, you can do so here.
