EpiCollect+: linking smartphones to web applications for complex data collection projects.
No Thumbnail Available
Date
2014-12-08
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
Previously we have described the development of the generic mobile phone data gathering tool EpiCollect and an associated web application providing two way communication between multiple data gatherers and a project database This software only allows data collection on the phone using a single questionnaire form that is tailored to the needs of the user including a single GPS point and photo per entry whereas many applications require a more complex structure allowing users to link a series of forms in a linear or branching hierarchy along with the addition of any number of media types accessible from smartphones and or tablet devices e g GPS photos videos sound clips and barcode scanning A much enhanced version of EpiCollect has been developed EpiCollect The individual data collection forms in EpiCollect provide more design complexity than the single form used in EpiCollect and the software allows the generation of complex data collection projects through the ability to link many forms together in a linear or branching hierarchy Furthermore EpiCollect allows the collection of multiple media types as well as standard text fields increased data validation and form logic The entire process of setting up a complex mobile phone data collection project to the specification of a user project and form definitions can be undertaken at the EpiCollect website using a simple drag and drop procedure with visualisation of the data gathered using Google Maps and charts at the project website EpiCollect is suitable for situations where multiple users transmit complex data by mobile phone or other Android devices to a single project web database and is already being used for a range of field projects particularly public health projects in sub Saharan Africa However many uses can be envisaged from education ecology and epidemiology to citizen science