Crowdsensing spatial data to follow epidemic evolution: Poster abstract

Abstract

Covidmonitor is a crowdsensing tool to support epidemologists and public health authorities in monitoring the covid-19 pandemic. The tool collects data to support transdisciplinary studies aiming at improving the knowledge of the pandemic evolution as well as monitor the citizens' behaviour and mental health. Covidmonitor leverages a previously existing mobile crowdsensing platform, SenseMyCity, adapted in collaboration with epidemology, public health and psychology researchers. Our biggest challenge was to identify the relevant metrics for the target trans-disciplinary studies and map them to collectable data. Covidmonitor explores the concept of citizens as probes to sample collective behaviour. The mobile application launches questionnaires about hygiene practices, use of personal protection equipment, health and emotional state. The questionnaires are triggered by different logic, adequate to the multi-dimensional perspectives of the target studies. Covidmonitor also seamlessly collects relevant mobility data without significant battery consumption. Finally, it enables voluntary sharing of location and symptom history, to facilitate tracing in case of infection. The tool considers user privacy and data minimisation by design, and is currently under preliminary scrutiny of the data protection regulator in Portugal.