GSSI Labs app and phone camera plus wearables to track hydration
Feasibility of Using the Gatorade Sports Science Institute (GSSI) Labs App for Hydration Related Outcomes: User Engagement and Individual Variability of Transdermal Optical Imaging Features Before and After Acute Fluid Ingestion
This project will test whether the GSSI Labs mobile app can collect usable hydration data from adults 18–65 using phone-based transdermal optical imaging and connected wearables.
Quick facts
| Study type | Observational |
|---|---|
| Enrollment | 200 (estimated) |
| Ages | 18 Years to 65 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | PepsiCo Global R&D Industry-sponsored |
| Locations | 1 site (Chicago, Illinois) |
| Trial ID | NCT07005895 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This remote feasibility project uses the Gatorade Sports Science Institute (GSSI) Labs app to collect self-reported hydration markers, wearable device data, and transdermal optical imaging (TOI) via participants' phone cameras. Participants must connect a supported activity tracker and a bathroom scale, follow app instructions including drinking 600 mL of water, and complete remote data sessions. The primary focus is user engagement (adherence, dropout) and differences across demographics, while the secondary focus is within-subject TOI feature changes before and after acute fluid ingestion. Recruitment was handled by an outside service and data collection and oversight are conducted through PepsiCo's GSSI infrastructure.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Ideal candidates are English-speaking adults 18–65 who are not pregnant or breastfeeding, own and wear a compatible activity tracker daily, own a bathroom scale, can drink 600 mL of water as instructed, and can download and use the GSSI Labs app.
Not a fit: People who do not own a compatible wearable or scale, are pregnant or breastfeeding, cannot safely drink 600 mL of water, or are outside the 18–65 age range are unlikely to benefit from participation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could make noninvasive, remote hydration monitoring easier to do at home for athletes and active adults.
How similar studies have performed: Early research on transdermal optical imaging shows promise for detecting physiological signals, but using TOI remotely for hydration measurement is relatively novel and not yet widely validated.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * 18-65 years of age, inclusive * Male or female. If female, subject is not pregnant, planning to get pregnant, or currently breast feeding * Able to speak, write, and read English * Provision of written consent to participate * Owns and wears an activity tracker daily, including during sleep, except when submerged underwater (i.e., swimming, bathing) and is willing to connect their device to the app, per GSSI Labs App requirements (Oura, WHOOP, Apple Watch, Garmin, Polar, Withings, or Fitbit). * Owns a bathroom scale * Able to drink 600mL (600 mL = 20 oz = 2 ½ cups) of water as directed. * Willing to avoid alcohol consumption 24 hours prior to study session(s) Exclusion Criteria: * Subject is currently enrolled in a clinical trial or has participated in a clinical trial within the past 30 days. * Subject is employed by, or has a parent, guardian, or other immediate family member employed by a company that manufactures any products that compete with any Gatorade product. If subject is unsure if a company would be considered a competitor to Gatorade, they will be asked to please let the study investigator know the name of the other company and the nature of their relationship to that company before they sign the informed consent.
Where this trial is running
Chicago, Illinois
- Advanced Personalized Ideation Center (API) and Gatorade Sports Science Institute (GSSI), PepsiCo Global R&D - Life Sciences — Chicago, Illinois, United States (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Shellen Goltz, PhD, RD — Advanced Personalized Ideation Center (API) & Gatorade Sports Science Institute (GSSI), PepsiCo Global R&D - Life Sciences
- Study coordinator: Shellen Goltz, PhD, RD
- Email: Shellen.Goltz@pepsico.com
- Phone: 312-821-3317
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.