The app, Outsmart Flu, will allow real-time flu surveliance using Survey Analytics’ mobile survey application SurveySwipe and the experiment will gauge if a smartphone app and social engagement can predict flu outbreaks more quickly than traditional clinic-based reporting.

Through smartphones, participants of OutSmart Flu will be asked to answer general health questions and report if they are feeling well, sick or experiencing flu-like symptoms.

“With OutSmart Flu, we are crowd-sourcing flu surveillance at UW-Madison,” said population health sciences professor Dr. Ajay Sethi. “Beyond just collecting the data, we are making it available in near-real time to our campus community. Students, faculty and staff – whether sick or well – likely want to know if something is going around on campus, especially as we approach peak flu season.”