Developing a wearable device to measure children's screen time accurately
Official title: Novel wearable sensor calibration and validation for automated measurement of screen time in children
Funded at Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill · NIH-11009506 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is testing a new wearable device that helps parents see how much time their kids spend on screens like tablets and smartphones, so they can better understand and manage their children's screen time for healthier habits.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chapel Hill, United States) |
| Project start | February 1, 2023 |
| Project end | January 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $560,140 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DK132621-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11009506 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research include children aged 0-11 years who use electronic screens regularly.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not use electronic screens or are outside the age range of 0-11 years may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on creating and validating a wearable sensor that can accurately measure how much time children spend using electronic screens, such as tablets and smartphones. By employing advanced machine learning techniques, the study aims to improve the understanding of screen time's impact on children's health and wellbeing. The researchers will conduct tests in both controlled environments and natural settings to ensure the device's accuracy and reliability. This project seeks to provide a better tool for parents and caregivers to monitor and manage children's screen exposure.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could provide parents and healthcare providers with a reliable way to track and manage children's screen time, potentially improving their health outcomes.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promise in using wearable devices for measuring health behaviors, but this specific approach to screen time measurement in children is novel.
Where this research is happening
-
Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Willis, Erik a — Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
- Study coordinator: Willis, Erik a
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
A center for coordinating data related to heart and blood health.
This study is working on a new system to gather and analyze health information about heart and blood disorders, which could lead to better ways to diagnose and treat these conditions, ultimately helping patients like you.
-
Healthy work design and worker well-being
A multi-site program aims to improve the health and well-being of workers by studying how work design affects safety, stress, and quality of life.
-
Unified and fair multimodal learning for autoimmune diseases
A patient-friendly AI approach will combine many kinds of health data to improve diagnosis and personalized care for autoimmune diseases, including lupus.
-
Structural factors linking minimum wage, COVID-19, and community violence
A long-term study will explore whether higher minimum wages and pandemic-related economic factors are connected to changes in violence in US communities.
-
Non-invasive tears biomarker for early Alzheimer's in LMICs
A low-cost, tear-based biomarker approach aims to detect early Alzheimer’s disease in older adults in Peru and similar settings.
-
How HPV interacts with our cells' DNA damage system and its effect on cancer
This project looks at how high-risk HPV uses the body’s DNA repair machinery to replicate and potentially drive cancer, with the goal of finding new antiviral and cancer-fighting approaches for people affected by HPV-related diseases.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.