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how it works
A research platform optimized for results
We make research more manageable with easy project setup, real-time adherence tracking, and downloadable data files. The participant experience features effortless data upload and task monitoring via a user-friendly app.
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Discover Labfront:
Your solution for remote health research
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How it works
1
Build your project by choosing the type of data you want to collect
Whether your study needs detailed raw physiological data like ECG RR-interval, or aggregated steps, we have you covered. Include custom surveys and event markers, conveniently timestamped.
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Wearable/ Physiological Data
Capture a broad range of granular data including sleep staging, steps and heart rate.
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Survey Data
Surveys optimized for researchers with built-in scheduling, recurrence options, and reminders that correspond to participant tasks.
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Event Tracking Data
Add a new layer of insight to your data by knowing when your participants completed tasks and for how long.
2
Invite participants to join your project and collect data
Add participants to your project by distributing a unique invite code generated in Labfront to each one.
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Participant Experience
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3
View collected data and track real-time participant adherence
See the data that participants are collecting. This allows you to take proactive measures like sending notifications when a participant has forgotten to complete tasks.
4
Download easily importable CSVs for your own analytics
Whether you use Matlab or SPSS, Labfront’s files are all timestamped and organized for easy analysis in your research.
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High-resolution data capture to enhance your experiment
From lifestyle data like activity and step count to detailed beat-to-beat interval that helps you derive heart rate variability, we've got you covered.
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Heart Rate Interval (BBI/RRI)
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Heart rate interval (also known as RRI/IBI/BBI) is the time between each individual heartbeat. RR-Interval captured via ECG is available from Movesense devices. BBI captured through the pulse can be obtained from Garmin wearables.
How can it benefit your study?
From BBI data, researchers are able to derive valuable metrics such as heart rate variability (HRV) at the most granular level available. HRV is an accepted measure to approximate autonomic nervous system (ANS) function.
Sampling Rate
Each heartbeat
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Find out how Dr. Ann Hsing from Stanford derived HRV from Garmin’s BBI data to measure wellbeing in her participants.
Stanford Well for Life Wearable Pilot Study
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Actigraphy (Sleep)
Actigraphy is a non-invasive method used to monitor human rest/activity cycles via an accelerometer-equipped device. We've adapted medical-grade actigraphy algorithms to process raw accelerometer data from Garmin wearables, achieving over 95% accuracy. Our solution provides access to two leading methods: movement energy and movement frequency/zero-crossing.
How can it benefit your study?
Get research-grade sleep data by remotely monitoring sleep in a participant's natural environment, offering more comprehensive insights into overall sleep patterns than a few nights in a lab.
Sampling Rate
10 sec - 1 min
Exploring actigraphy: Discoveries from our sleep tracking experiments
Learn more about using actigraphy in Labfront
Blood Glucose
With Labfront's Dexcom integration, easily access high-resolution continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) data to measure metabolic health.
How can it benefit your study?
Analyze daily glucose trends, patterns, and significant fluctuations, providing critical insights into individual glycemic statuses.
Sampling Rate
5 min
Explore clinical studies and expert guidelines showcasing the benefits of Dexcom CGM systems in enhancing diabetes outcomes.
Skin Temperature (Coming Soon)
Changes in skin temperature can be related to activity, illness and other factors. Skin temperature monitoring is available with compatible Garmin devices.
How can it benefit your study?
Skin temperature monitoring can provide insights into physiological responses, stress levels, sleep patterns, and overall health.
Sampling Rate
10 sec - 1 hr
Learn more about Garmin Connect's skin temperature feature.
ECG Waveform
High resolution electrocardiogram (ECG) data is the gold standard for heart rate rate monitoring, especially useful if you are measuring during exercise.
How can it benefit your study?
This data can be used to derive HRV as well as sleep apnea (cardiopulmonary coupling), or to detect heart tremors and atrial fibrillation.
Sampling Rate
125Hz - 500Hz
Check out this study validating the Movesense Medical sensor against a conventional 12 channel ECG for measuring HRV.
Motion Tracking
With Labfront and Movesense, track any type of motion with high-resolution 9-axis motion tracking. Get IMU data in aggregate or individually select from 3-axis accelerometer data, 3-axis gyroscope data, and 3-axis magnetometer data.
How can it benefit your study?
Used to track everything from walking cadence and gait to tremors from Parkinson's.
Sampling Rate
12.5Hz - 208Hz
Read this study presenting a mobile fall risk assessment solution for daily-life settings that uses Movesense acceleration data.
Daily Summary
A robust CSV file offering valuable insights on a number of different metrics over the course of a participant’s day. Each row of statistics represents one day.
How can it benefit your study?
Researchers are able to observe high-level data for each day such as average heart rate, maximum/minimum stress levels, total steps taken, calories burned, etc.
Sampling Rate
Daily
View how the daily summary data is organized for you in Labfront.
Activity Summary
This file contains activity types- from walking to running to cycling- and the intensities of such activities for each of your participants.
How can it benefit your study?
With this data, you can derive ratios such as amount of time spent active versus the amount of time spent sedentary over the course of a specific time period.
Sampling Rate
15 min
Learn how Jenn from Duke University used the activity data to better understand her cystic fibrosis patients’ exercise regime during their rehabilition program.
Sleep
Calculated through a combination of actigraphy and heart rate data, Garmin’s sleep data files can offer you a column by column break down of sleep duration, sleep staging and sleep quality for each participant.
How can it benefit your study?
Gain more insight into overall sleep patterns than just one or two nights in a lab can offer by remotely monitoring sleep in a participant’s natural environment.
Sampling Rate
Auto-detect
See how the Garmin Vivosmart performed in a 2018 sleep validation study.
Learn more about Garmin’s sleep data files here.
Heart Rate (via pulse)
Collect heart rate data at the sampling rate of your choice. Garmin’s specially tuned PPG sensors can also pick up each individual heart beat and provide you with heart rate interval data, one of the most unique metrics available in the consumer wearable market.
How can it benefit your study?
Heart rate is useful for measuring stress, exercise intensity, arrhythmia detection, and so much more.
Sampling Rate
1 sec - 60 min
Learn how Garmin’s Heart Rate data metric performed when compared to an ECG.
Check out our validation study on the HR accuracy of the Garmin vivosmart 4 compared to an EKG.
Stress
This numerical output is calculated based on a combination of a participant’s heart rate, activity, and heart rate variability data.
How can it benefit your study?
Traditionally evaluated based on self-reported data alone, researchers can now obtain a more objective representation of their participants’ stress levels through Garmin’s stress score.
Sampling Rate
10 sec - 60 min
Read more about how this psychotherapy feasibility study looked at stress in seven different case examples.
Learn more about how Garmin derives its stress score
Steps
Approximate activity by tracking the amount of steps taken each day by each participant over the course of your study.
How can it benefit your study?
Rather than relying on subjective self-reporting, measuring steps can add an objective assessment of physical activity to your research.
Sampling Rate
1 min - 15 min
Read a comparison study of three activity trackers and how they performed in a study observing activity in older adults.
Respiration
Respiration tracks breathing rate throughout the day, during sleep, and during activities such as breathwork and yoga. It is measured in breaths per minute.
How can it benefit your study?
Respiratory rate is usually a stable metric, so an increased respiratory rate may be a sign of illness or stress (especially when paired with low activity). Tracking respiration can be useful for sleep staging as well.
Sampling Rate
10 sec - 60 min
Respiration is only supported on some Garmin devices, such as the vivosmart 5 and Venu SQ. Check our compatible devices page for the full list.
Oxygen Saturation
Although most often measured using a finger clip, blood oxygen saturation can also be obtained on the wrist. Select Garmin wearables support wrist-based blood oxymetry.
How can it benefit your study?
Fluctuations in blood oxygen levels can help provide insight into a participant’s overall health. Also used to in sleep apnea measurements.
Sampling Rate
10 sec - 60 min
View how SpO2 measurements taken via a Garmin fēnix® watch compare to those taken on a standard medical-grade pulse oximeter.
Frequently asked questions
We're here to help with any questions you have about how Labfront works. Don't hesitate to contact us at support@labfront.com.
How do I get started with Labfront?
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We recommend creating a free account first to test out the features of the platform. You can create a project and invite participants to join in minutes. Check out the full guide on getting started in our Help Center.
Where can I buy devices?
Once you’ve selected a wearable from our list of compatible devices, you can purchase directly from Movesense or Garmin, or you can contact us via support@labfront.com and we’ll be happy to guide you through the buying process. You'll also be eligible for a device discount.
Are there any discounts available?
There sure are! Our partnerships with Garmin and Movesense gives Labfront users access to select discounts. If you want to buy devices in bulk for a discount, please contact us at support@labfront.com. We also suggest taking a look at our Partner Perks page.
Which devices are compatible with Labfront?
Labfront is currently compatible with select Garmin, Movesense and Dexcom devices, but we plan to add more devices in the near future. Check our full list of compatible devices.
Do participants need a smartphone to use Labfront?
Yes, participants will need either an Android or iOS smartphone to use the Labfront platform.
Can I see a sample of the downloadable data format?
You sure can! Take a look at a sample of our data here.
Does Labfront offer support for data analytics?
In an effort to support researchers without in-house analytics expertise, we do offer data analytics plans at an additional cost. You can visit our analytics page or contact hello@labfront.com for more information on Labfront Analytics.
Turn data into insights with Labfront Analytics
Our team of data scientists will work with you to understand your needs and help get the most from your data with custom analytics.
Better understand participants’ biomarkers
Easy-to-use reports and data formats
Backed by cited scientific research
Built to overcome the challenges of the digital age
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A commitment to compliance
Labfront adheres to ICH-GCP, HIPAA, SOC 1/2/3 and GDPR. We keep up to date with the regulations so you don’t have to.
A commitment to privacy
Unlike big-tech, we believe in data privacy. You control your data. We will never sell your data, ever. Period.
A commitment to security
Labfront is built with the best practices in security in mind. Features like secure encryption that protects your data both at rest and in transit are tablestakes.
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“Now, more than ever, we need tools like Labfront that can help researchers take their research and data collection virtual.”
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“The Labfront team was extremely responsive to our requests and made every effort to accommodate our unique needs.”
"Labfront's analysts understood our needs as researchers and saved us weeks of work when they prepared our datasets for analysis."
“The physiological data really helped provide deeper insights. We recommend Labfront and will definitely be using it again!”
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