Leveraging Voice-Assistant Technology In Clinical Trials

Our industry seeks to make trial participation simpler, more convenient and more patient-centric. One of the enablers of this simplification is the novel use of new technology.

For example, we already see a drive to use remote monitoring solutions and wearable sensors to enable the collection of rich, informative data about the patient and their condition in their home environment, potentially reducing the number of in-clinic visits a patient may be required to attend.

In addition to the rise in mobile and wearable solutions, we see greater numbers of consumers using Voice Assistant technologies such as Amazon Echo and Google Home. Gartner predicts that by 2020, 30% of web browsing sessions will be done without a screen [1], using either Voice Assistants or Virtual Reality.

Voice Assistant technologies provide an opportunity to create a different level of engagement and interaction in comparison to regular apps and web pages. In addition, voice-controlled applications may remove barriers to use, particularly for those that find operation of a mobile device difficult or fiddly, or have low functional literacy.