Apple at the launch of "smart" watches Apple Watch and Retina MacBook announced the release ResearchKit - an open software platform for medical research that helps doctors and scientists to more accurately and efficiently collect data from research participants through an application on the iPhone. World-renowned research institutions have already started to build applications for the study of cycling ResearchKit asthma, breast cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and Parkinson's disease. Respondents may make their own decisions about participation in research and data collection methods.
"Applications for iOS already helping millions of users to maintain their health. Given the hundreds of millions of iPhone, used around the world, we saw an opportunity to give people even more tools for medical research and participation in them, - said Jeff Williams, senior vice president of Apple's operating matters. - ResearchKit provide the scientific community access to patients from around the world and even more ways to collect a variety of data than ever before".
ResearchKit turns the iPhone into a powerful tool for medical research. If the user gives permission, applications can access data on weight, blood pressure, glucose level and frequency of use of the inhaler - these data are measured by third-party applications and devices, and combined in the application "Health". Software platform HealthKit, first introduced in iOS 8, allows developers to enable data exchange between applications for health and fitness. ResearchKit may also prompt the user for access to the accelerometer, microphone, gyroscope and GPS sensor on the iPhone for the understanding of the patient's manner of walking, measurement of motor activity, fitness data, speech and memory.
ResearchKit also makes it easier to find patients for large-scale studies, providing access to a broad sample of the population, and not only to those patients who live close to the research institute. Study participants can perform the job and send data directly from the application, allowing researchers to spend less time on paperwork and more - on the analysis of the data.
"We are delighted to be able to use these new tools ResearchKit from Apple, to expand the scope of participants and quick to collect even more data through a simple and user-friendly application for the iPhone. The collected data bring us closer to the development of individual treatments, - said Patricia Ganz, MD, professor at the Institute of Health, University of California Los Angeles, and Director of the Center for Control and Prevention of Cancer in Jones Cancer Research Center. - Access to a wide range of information about patients' health will help us to better understand the long-term effects of cancer treatment and a better understanding of patients undergoing treatment for breast cancer. "
"When we study the methods of diagnosis and prevention of disease, the numbers mean anything. Using the new platform ResearchKit from Apple, we can broaden the base at the expense of patients outside the city and collect much more data to help us understand the mechanisms of asthma, - said Dr. Eric Schadt, professor of genomics at the Medical Institute Aikan at Mount Sinai and founder of the Institute genomics and biology multilevel Aikan. - Using advanced sensors iPhone, we can better simulate the condition of asthma patients to offer them a more effective individualized treatment. "
Appendix Asthma Health, developed by Institute of Medicine Aikan at Mount Sinai and the company LifeMap Solutions, helps asthma patients to recognize and monitor their condition, correct behavior and adhere to treatment programs in accordance with modern standards.Researchers are studying complex patient's symptoms and possible causes of deterioration, to develop individual treatment programs for asthma.
Appendix Share the Journey, developed by the Cancer Institute Dana-Farber's behalf, companies Penn Medicine, Sage Bionetworks and Jones Cancer Research Center, University of California in Los Angeles, will help scientists understand why some patients are cured of breast cancer more quickly than others, why their symptoms change over time and what can be done to cure these symptoms. With the help of surveys and data collection from sensors on the iPhone app Share the Journey will monitor fatigue patients, changes in cognitive ability and mood, sleep disturbance and decreased physical activity.
Appendix MyHeart Counts, developed by Stanford University Medical School, measures the activity and uses survey data and information on risk factors, helping researchers to more accurately assess the relationship of physical activity and lifestyle of the patient with his health of the cardiovascular system. By studying this relationship on a large scale, scientists can better understand how to maintain a healthy heart.
Specialists Hospital Massachusetts General clinical application developed GlucoSuccess, to better understand how the different aspects of the patient's life - nutrition, physical activity and taken drugs - affect the blood glucose levels. This application will also help patients to choose a diet and physical activity associated with the best level of glucose, allowing to clearly see the relationship and take an active part in maintaining their health.
Appendix Parkinson mPower, developed by Sage Bionetworks and the University of Rochester, helps people with Parkinson's disease to monitor their symptoms, performing various actions with the iPhone. Among these actions - the game on memorization, touch your finger, speech and walking. The results of patient surveys and data from sensors his phone combined with data of many other patients, helping to hold the largest and most comprehensive study of Parkinson's disease in the history of medicine.
ResearchKit set to be released in the form of an open platform next month.