Smartphone-based Digital Phenotyping in People with ALS.

Improving the tools we use to decide whether an amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) treatment works is key to drug discovery, which thus far has had limited success. How we interact with our mobile devices, such as smartphones, generates large amounts of digital information (data) that may be informative in determining whether a treatment works. Our goal is study whether digital data from smartphones can be accurately harnessed to accelerate ALS therapy development. Smartphones can measure mobility, dexterity, and conveniently deliver surveys, thereby saving time, energy, and money; decreasing barriers to enrollment and retention; and likely giving a better reflection of one's day to day functioning. We must study and validate these tools before they can be put to use, however.