✨Avicenna February Update: Green Checks

Hey Avicenna Community,

In February, besides regular bug fixes and improvements, we've added a new language to make our platform more inclusive. On the other hand, our automated testing for surveys on the participant web app is now complete. Nothing feels more satisfying than seeing those green checks ✅😊.

We're wrapping up integrations with Hexoskin and Apple's HealthKit, and we expect to finish the Geofencing triggering logic by the end of next month. We're also pushing to automate tests across the entire participant web app, aiming for at least 90% coverage (the rest might need to be tested manually and regularly due to complex user interactions and scenarios).

Here's what we've achieved in February, and don't forget to check the "What's Next?" section at the end for upcoming updates.

🌟 Improvements

• Welsh language
  We have expanded our language offerings to include Welsh, bringing the total to 14 languages available for both the participant app interface and study protocol definition in multilingual studies. Learn more about localization in Avicenna.
• Enhanced audit trail
  We enhanced the accuracy and performance of our audit trail, which subsequently boosted the overall system performance. This was achieved by updating some logic and underlying tools used in our web server.

🐞 Bug Fixes

• Extra response records for Time-Use
  We fixed an issue on the researcher dashboard where extra records in the Time-Use activity’s responses incorrectly showed Time-Use sessions instead of the event sessions created by participants in the calendar.
• Time-Use session scheduled for the start day
  We resolved an issue where changing the participation start time to a later time deleted the Time-Use session scheduled for the same day as the new participation start time.
• Linking/unlinking notification templates to/from activities
  We resolved an issue in studies with a relatively large number of sessions and corresponding notifications, where researchers were unable to link/unlink notification templates to/from activities, encountering a never-ending loading screen and the “You are offline” error.
• Missing Fitbit data records
  Since January 6th, we have not received any records for certain Fitbit data sources (Sleep, Sleep Level, and Weight Log), even though participants have been recording this data. We fixed the issue and we are working on restoring the missing records.
• Duplicating surveys
  We fixed an issue where duplicating a survey incorrectly retained the status of the source survey. Now, duplicated surveys will always be in the draft state, regardless of the original survey’s status.
• No responses for expired surveys
  We fixed an issue in our participant web app where survey responses, if any, were not recorded if the survey session expired before submission. Now, participant responses are properly saved up to the point of expiry.
• Export ID display mismatch
  We addressed an issue in the researcher dashboard where we displayed general IDs instead of study-specific IDs in the “export request sent” dialog, leading to mismatched information compared to the Data Export page.
• In-app notification scheduling with criteria
  We fixed an edge case issue in the participant Android app where scheduling notifications failed when specific conditions were met. The bug arose when the corresponding notification templates had criteria, multiple notification templates were set for a single session, and the app wasn’t used for a couple of days (e.g., the phone turned off, and then turned on).
• Calendar reload error on the Activity Sessions page
  We addressed an issue on the Activity Sessions page of the researcher dashboard where actions like releasing an activity would trigger a calendar reload even if no filter is applied, leading to errors. The page now no longer attempts to reload in these scenarios.
• Incorrect request for Fitbit/Garmin permissions
  We fixed an issue in the participant web app where the app, as part of the incomplete study setup, requested access to Garmin data instead of Fitbit data when the study had Fitbit data sources, and vice versa.
• Surveys with question placeholders failing to open
  We resolved an issue in the participant web app where surveys containing placeholders that referenced questions from other surveys failed to open.
• Bulk update issue for audit trail
  We fixed an issue with the audit trail, where certain updates were not correctly recorded, particularly when making multiple changes at once (e.g., bulk updating sessions or notifications).
• Participant’s name length restriction on the sign-up page
  We resolved an issue on the participant Android app where the participant sign-up process allowed first and last names longer than 30 characters.

🔧 Technical Updates

• Automated tests for surveys on the participant web app
  We completed our first round of automated tests, and it was for surveys on the participant web app, a key component of Avicenna. Approximately 98% of survey-related behaviors are now covered by these tests. The remaining 2% were skipped due to existing bugs. With this coverage, we anticipate only encountering edge case bugs, which will be addressed with further automated testing as they arise.

🔍 Reflecting on the Impact

Your experience with Avicenna is crucial to our growth. Each update aims to streamline your research, focusing on usability and efficiency. We strive to support your research effectively.

📣 We Value Your Feedback – And Your Stories

Have the updates improved your research? We encourage sharing your experiences on our Community Forum or via email. Your feedback helps shape our future updates and motivates the Avicenna community.

⭐ What's Next?

We remain dedicated to improving Avicenna. New features and improvements are in the pipeline, aiming to further enhance your research workflow. To name a few, we're working on:

• Reset Participation: As a next step to the Test Participants feature we introduced before, test participants will be able to reset their participation and start as new participants in the study right within the app.
• Hexoskin: Expand your wearable data collection with direct integration with Hexoskin, bringing in valuable physiological data for your studies.
• Apple's HealthKit: Leverage the HealthKit platform to incorporate diverse health data from iOS devices, making your research even more comprehensive.
• Geofencing Triggering Logic: You will be able to define triggering logics for your activities based on the participant's interaction with some geofences.
• Automated Testing for the Participant Web App: We are working towards achieving complete (or near complete) automation in testing the participant web app.
• Matrix Question Type: You asked. We responded. You will be able to ask Matrix questions in your surveys to better capture nuanced answers and improve the depth of data collected from participants.
• And more: Stay tuned for additional features and improvements as we continue our mission to optimize your research experience.

Avicenna is getting even better, and we're excited to reveal all the improvements to you.

Let's keep pushing the boundaries of research together.