Mobile coaching that sends timely activity prompts for people with spinal cord injury
mHealth-based Just-In-Time Adaptive Intervention to Improve Physical Activity Levels of Individuals with Spinal Cord Injury
This project uses a smartphone and wearable sensors to send timely, personalized activity prompts to adults with spinal cord injury to help them move more.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Temple Univ of the Commonwealth NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11257310 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You will wear a sensor and use a smartphone app that tracks wheelchair movement and body activity and sends tailored prompts and tips at moments when you can be active. The system uses algorithms (a just-in-time adaptive intervention) to decide when and what messages to send and connects with existing exercise programs. Researchers are expanding earlier pilot work and will test the approach with community-dwelling adults with spinal cord injury over time. Sensor data and your responses will be collected to refine the prompts and measure changes in physical activity.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults (typically 18+) living with spinal cord injury who use a wheelchair, live in the community, and can use a smartphone or wearable device are the ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People without spinal cord injury, those who cannot use a smartphone or wearable device, or those with medical restrictions preventing increased activity are unlikely to benefit from this program.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could help people with spinal cord injury increase daily physical activity and lower risks for heart disease, diabetes, pain, and deconditioning.
How similar studies have performed: Similar mobile health and sensor-based interventions have shown promise in pilot studies, but just-in-time adaptive coaching specifically for people with spinal cord injury is still relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Philadelphia, United States
- Temple Univ of the Commonwealth — Philadelphia, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hiremath, Shivayogi V — Temple Univ of the Commonwealth
- Study coordinator: Hiremath, Shivayogi V
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 below.