Could you spare some time to support a ground breaking project the University is doing with Roche to test an App they are developing for monitoring the impact and progression of Multiple Sclerosis?

The University of Plymouth’s new app, Floodlight, is designed to measure walking, movement and balance and a few other areas of function during everyday life.  The research project is testing if the data captured by the app, via a smart phone, is equivalent to that captured in a state of the art motor control lab.  The lab run by Professor Jon Marsden is at the BRIC building; just over the road from the Science Park, so convenient for participation from tenants.  The research will help determine the validity of the app and its future use.

Participation in the study involves an initial visit, to capture some information and provide you with the technology.  This is followed by 3 weeks using the technology during your everyday activities, and then a final visit to the BRIC building to assess your movement and balance in the lab.  A phone and sensors that measure your walking, balance etc are supplied for use in the project.

As well as analysing the data capture by nearly 100 people with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) the experiment has a target to test 30 people without MS for comparison. If you like to help support research, improving outcomes for people living with MS and/or are interested in the use of technology and measurement of human function then this could be a great use of a few hours of your time.

More information about the project, including the Participant Information Sheet, can be obtained by contacting Floodlight@plymouth.ac.uk.