The initiative, called Project Catalyst, will focus on popular devices that track activity and sleep. The first study will be conducted at the Georgia Tech Research Institute in Atlanta and include 80 consumers older than 50. The participants will test five different sleep and activity trackers over a six-week periods, reporting back on how they used them and their overall experience with the product. Product developers will receive the results on their own product, including recommendations on how to improve it to increase adoption, according to a news release.
UnitedHealthcare and Pfizer will provide financial and advisory support throughout the project, which aims to spur innovation in the field, according to the news release.
“With the 50-plus population representing a large portion of the patients who depend on our medicines, we recognize the importance of finding innovative solutions to challenges such as medication management and adherence,” said Wendy Mayer, vice president of Worldwide Innovation at Pfizer, in the news release. “Project Catalyst has potential to enable collaboration across multiple stakeholder groups with the common goal of delivering the best value, and we look forward to continuing our longtime partnership with AARP.”
