What is the ALS Mobile Analyzer
The ALS Mobile Analyzer is designed for people diagnosed with ALS and their caregivers. The app is used to monitor the progression of the disease, with the goal of improving patient care, advancing ALS research and improving clinical trial design.
Seamless, frequent and accurate measurements.
Fully digitized solution for tracking ALS progression.
In the future, the app will also provide patients with information about their performence, and with the ability to send it to their clinicians, in order to improve their clinical care.
All information collected is kept in confidential in a secured database.
The Challenge
ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease) is a fatal incurable neurodegenerative disease. It leads to progressive paralysis and typically results in death within 3-5 years. ALS progression is highly variable between patients, a fact which complicates drug development and clinical testing of new candidate therapies.
The common way to measure ALS progression today is by using a subjective questionnaire called the ALS Functional Rating Scale (ALS-FRS). In order to complete the questionnaire, patients must reach a clinic with a trained ALS specialist and answer questions about their ability to speak, walk, breath, dress, and so on.
Unfortunately, the current method for tracking ALS progression is limited, because it entails infrequent measurements, a challenging clinic visit for patients who often have limited mobility, it is subjective and the data is not stored in a single repository.
Our Solution
Prize4Life is developing a cheaper and more accurate way to track ALS progression. We are developing a smartphone-based application that monitors patients in their natural environment and collects objective, continuous, comprehensive functional data. The data are collected using sensors and analyzed by advanced algorithms. The data can then serve as a basis for future research and development of new treatments.
How it works
Download the app from the Google play store or the App store
After a short registration, you will be asked to answer questions and perform simple tasks that will assess your functional abilities.
To help generate the most valuable dataset for improving the technology and for advancing ALS research towards a cure, use the app as often and as accurately as possible.
All information collected is kept confidential in a secured database.
Sharing the app with other patients will also help us capture the wide variety of patients and disease manifestations.
Not affected by ALS but want to help advance efforts to find a therapy and a cure?
Please join us and use the app as healthy controls in order to provide a “healthy” baseline.
Contact Us
If you have any questions, comments or requests, please contact us
About Us
The ALS Mobile Analyzer app project was envisioned and launched by Prize4Life, a non-profit organization focused exclusively on accelerating the development of treatments for ALS. This innovative project would not have been possible without the tremendous help of many important collaborators:
The Genesis Generation Fund has awarded us with $100,000 for the project. The fund was established by former NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg after he was awarded the Genesis Prize for Jewish leadership. Mr. Bloomberg decided to donate the prize of one million dollars to 10 young Israeli social entrepreneurs who are leading projects with a dramatic impact on society. See a movie about the prize.
Volunteers from SAP Labs Israel who have devoted programming efforts, time, and good will to make this program happen. See a video about their work, and read more here and here.
TOM – Tikkun Olam Makers who helped out with the first proof-of-concept (POC), in the exploration of the initial stages, in networking, insight and guidance. See more here and here.
Israel Brain Technologies (IBT) organization that selected Prize4Life for the first cycle of the Brainnovations program for early stage startups, as well as inventors and entrepreneurs with promising brain-related ideas, technologies and applications.
Technological Advisors
Intel , some of the best minds in analysis of data collected out of smartphone sensors, are helping us out, to bring the best results for ALS patients.
Prof. Isaac Kohane, Department of Biomedical Informatics at Harvard Medical School. A member of Prize4Life SAB, Prof. Kohane helps with data analysis and challenge planning.
Mr. Yaniv Zach, Senior Product Manager @Autodesk, led the Product Managment of the mobile app.
Clinical Advisors
Prof. Merit Cudkowicz, Director of MGH’s MDA ALS clinic, Chief of Neurological Service, co-director of the Neurological Clinical Research Institute and the Neuromuscular Division and a Professor of Neurology at Harvard Medical School.
Prof. Vivian Drory, manager of the ALS Multidisciplinary Clinic at Tel Aviv Medical Center and a researcher at Tel Aviv University.
Dr Marc Gotkine, manager of the ALS Multidisciplinary Clinic at Hadassah Medical Center and a researcher at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem; a member of Prize4life Scientific Advisory Board.
About Prize4Life
Prize4Life is a non-profit organization, founded and managed by ALS patients who have assumed the responsibility for fighting the disease and for impacting the destiny of future patients. Prize4Life’s mission is to accelerate the discovery of treatments and a cure for ALS by using powerful incentives to attract new minds, new people, and drive innovation. More information
