FitBit partners with King's College to make app that can detect coronavirus digitally

Wearable fitness device maker Fitbit has launched a new app named 'Mass Science' in partnership with King's College London to see if coronavirus can be detected digitally. According to reports, participants taking part in the study will share data of their wearable devices such as Fitbit through the app and researchers will see whether they can be used to detect COVID-19 digitally. Participants will reportedly have to share data such as heart rate, activity, and sleep record via the Mass science app, which researchers will use to see if it can help in detecting the viral disease. 

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According to reports, users can share data about mental health, mood, location, etc via the app and also a diagnosis if they have tested positive for COVID-19. Professor Richard Dobson, head of the Department of Biostatistics and Health Informatics at the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Maudsley Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) said that the data shared by users of wearable devices can be really helpful in understanding the disease trajectories as there are more than 8 million users in the United Kingdom alone. 

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Mass Science app is available for download in iOS and Android app stores for users who want to contribute in the COVID-collab study. Users can connect their wearable fitness devices to the Mass Science app and allow it to share data with researchers. King's College London is also running another app in collaboration with the National Health Service (NHS) where it collects data of over 4 million users every day to study the symptoms of coronavirus. Users report symptoms when they feel unwell and also report when they feel well. 

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