1  Introduction

Short explanation of the SPARK platform

SPARK platform is a measurement-based platform based for research use. The platform consists of two parts. The smartphone app and the dashboard. The app collects multiple, customizable data-streams from participants/users. The dashboard allows the researchers to customize the smartphone app to their needs of research and view participant data.

The smartphone app (available for IOS and Android)

There are two types of data SPARK can collect: active data and passive data. Active data is collected from the SPARK user while they are using the app, while passive data is data collected in the background regardless whether or not the user is actively using the app. In Table 1 you can find a (preliminary) list of active and passive data that can be collected with the app. In addition to data collection, researchers have the opportunity to upload digital interventions (tips, activities, JITAI’s, metrics (not yet available), … ) for the participants.

Table 1

Active data	Passive data
Self-reports (EMA; surveys)	Accelerometer
Learn Tips (educational content)	Gyroscope
Mindfulness Activities	Location (GPS)
	Bluetooth
	Screen time
	Steps

The dashboard

The purpose of the dashboard is two-fold. First, the researcher uses the dashboard to design the smartphone app for the purpose of their study. Second, the researcher uses the dashboard to view the collected data via the smartphone app.

When setting up a study on SPARK, consider the following ways to do so. The researcher will set up a “study” . The study is an admin account that oversees all research participants. Each study can have multiple login credentials for different research members who need access to the study.

Each study can consist of as many “groups” as the researcher would like for the purpose of the study. Each group can have its own set of interventions (surveys, tips, notifications, …). Each group has its own activity and notification schedule.

Each group contains “users” (or participants). Individuals using the SPARK app as participants. Each user receives their own app login and has an unique SPARK ID.

SPARK terminology

STUDY - oversees all participants
GROUP 1 - users have same activities
User 1
User 2
User 3

Next iterations of the SPARK platform will include more digital interventions that will be able to act on specific contexts other than time (e.g. GPS location, app-interactions,,...) , and interventions can be personalized to each individual’s user trajectory (not only to GROUPS of users → AI development, the AI not the researcher will decide which intervention is best sent to the user based on the collected data).