Hello everyone,
In this release, we’re expanding our data collection capabilities with the new App Usage iOS data source, URL variables for public surveys, and SensorKit PPG/ECG integrations. We’ve also enhanced the Researcher Responded Session (RRS) page with a new content toggle and resolved several critical issues, from survey validation to Time-Use activity flows.
New Features
App Usage iOS Data Source
We introduced the App Usage iOS data source, which collects hourly Screen Time–based usage summaries. Researchers can now record app and website usage, time spent, notifications, and device pickups (without capturing private app content). For more details, see our Reference.
URL Variables in Public Surveys
We introduced URL variables for public survey links, allowing researchers to capture metadata such as campaign source, participant grouping, and contextual information. These parameters are automatically stored with survey responses, enabling richer analysis without collecting PII. For more details, see our Reference.
SensorKit PPG and ECG Data Sources
We added support for two new SensorKit data sources, PPG and ECG, enabling researchers to collect detailed physiological measurements such as pulse waveforms, heart rate metrics, and ECG classifications from supported devices. For more details, see our Reference.
Improvements
Question Content Toggle in RRS
We added a toggle to the Researcher Responded Session (RRS) page that allows you to switch between viewing only the question label or the full question content. When the toggle is turned on, the full content for each question is displayed.
Bug Fixes
Unreachable Sections Validation
We identified an issue in the Research Dashboard where unreachable survey sections (sections that cannot be reached based on the current logic) were only shown as warnings on the Publish page and did not block publishing. Now, the validation process treats unreachable sections as errors, requiring the researcher to resolve the logic before the survey can be published.
Achievement Tier Translation
We resolved a bug in the Research Dashboard where second-language translations for Achievement tiers were not being saved correctly. Previously, these translations would disappear after publishing and appear blank when reopening the Achievement editor. These fields now save reliably and will correctly reload whenever you return to the editor to make changes.
Disabled Questions Not Updating
We addressed a logic issue in the Researcher Responded Session (RRS) page where dependent questions were not activating in real-time. Previously, selecting a triggering option in a single-answer question would leave the dependent question “inactive” or hidden. This has been corrected so that dependent questions are enabled immediately upon selecting the triggering response.
Time-Use Activity Issues
We have implemented several fixes for Time-Use activities within the web app. We addressed instances where diary events were visually misplaced on the calendar, titles displayed as “null”, and completion progress stayed at 0%. We also resolved a bug where saved answers did not load when editing and corrected navigation that redirected users to the home screen instead of the calendar, so these flows now behave as expected.
Thank you for your continued feedback and support, which helps us make Avicenna Research better with each release. We hope you find these updates useful. As always, we welcome your feedback and encourage you to reach out with any comments or questions on our Community Forum or contact us directly via Email. Stay tuned for more updates coming your way!