SDU Connect

SDU Connect:
SDU Connect is a research-based app developed for the Connect project, a large research project conducted by researchers at the University of Southern Denmark. The purpose of the app is to collect various types of information about participants in the Connect project. The app can only be used by participants in the project.

For study participants:
When you take part in the Connect project, the researchers will ask you to download and install the SDU Connect app.
The SDU Connect app serves as the primary platform for data collection in the Connect project. Below is a brief overview of the data we collect in the two different parts of the project.

The Connect Survey:
If you participate in the survey part of the Connect project, the app will – after you complete the questionnaire – collect data about your smartphone use the following 14 days.

The Connect experiment:
If you participate in the trial part of the Connect project, the app will send you daily questionnaires, record your smartphone use, and collect health data such as physical activity, sleep, and heart rate variability from the Garmin watch you have been provided with. Garmin data are synchronized directly with the SDU Connect app. The app will also record social interactions between participants in your peer group by scanning for the specific beacons distributed to your group. In addition, the app also records your location via GPS data so we can determine where social interactions take place (e.g., at home or at school).

Data processing and security:
The SDU Connect app has been developed by the company Avicenna Research, with whom the researchers at the University of Southern Denmark have entered into a data processing agreement. All data are stored securely and used solely for research purposes.

** IMPORTANT **
Once you provide consent and tap "Start Health Monitoring," the app begins a continuous health monitoring session. A persistent notification displays your real-time health status, including your current physical activity, step count, and session duration, with a "Stop Health Monitor" action. You can stop or restart health monitoring at any time from the in-app health status card, the notification, or the settings. Please note that stopping monitoring will end your current session, resetting your step count and activity tracking, and frequent interruptions may reduce the accuracy and completeness of the study data.