MOBILE DEVICES FOR SURVEY WORK
Contents
1. MOBILE DEVICES FOR SURVEY WORK Guidelines for administrators Sep 6 2013 Mobile Devices Android based phones and tablets also referred to as mobile devices have become a reliable tool in assisting country programs in the collection of data related to the control and elimination of Neglected Tropical Diseases NTDs This includes but not limited to survey tools used for baseline prevalence mapping impact assessment sentinel site spot checks and even routine reporting of key indicators There is a wide range of android devices available on the market but fortunately all android devices have a similar set up when preparing them for data collection Electronic surveys supported by the ENVISION progtam all use the same LINKS application app for entering and transferring survey data from the field The LINKS app can be used on both smartphones and tablets see table 1 Table 1 Smartphone Vs Tablet Can support multiple or bilingual surveys Can collect GPS scan barcodes Can send data via cellular or Internet connection Can collect data when no data connect is available Cost effective and can function on many devices Can change survey once devices are in the field Few reporters of large amounts Few reporters of large amounts Ideal for of data or data that include of data or data that include barcodes and GPS coordinates barcodes and GPS coordinates Central server for data Anywhere Note Mob2. not deleted General Use Please refer to the User s Manual for specific devices for more details Status Bar A ted bar across the top of the LINKS app indicates when there is no network connection available In addition at the top of the Android screen there is a status bar that provides useful information about the Android s settings The first step when troubleshooting is to look at this bar it should be monitored frequently e Does the Android have a network connection You should be able to see bars of reception when you are in network range e Is the Android currently in airplane mode When in airplane mode an airplane will show in the Status Bar e Can the Android send receive data You will have an E on this bar either inside a box with arrows of with curved reception lines coming from it o How much battery does the Android have left There is a green battery icon on this bar which shows how much battery you have left You should monitor this during the day so if required you can use an emergency battery charger to recharge the Android before it fails e Is the Android enabled to use GPS services A round circle icon at the top of the bar will usually appear when you are trying to use GPS services to record a location If you are unable to record GPS coordinates while using the app you should check that the use of GPS satellites is enabled Instructions on how to do this are below Battery Life Androids must be charged
3. o Can mark clean data as approved Group 2 Partner Organizations o Can view raw data summary but not download data o Can view approved data summary but not download data Group 3 Authorized user o No access to raw data o Can view approved data summary but not download data Group G Data manager o Access to the data manager tools o Can view raw and approved data summary but not download data Data Flow The system is setup to track users permissions and approvals An online dashboard page will allow you to see summary information on the data that have been collected for a particular project area The data flow process is as follows 1 Ministry of Health MOH personnel collect the raw data which are uploaded onto the cloud based links server Data are always available for review and download by the Data Manager and MOH Focal Person s or designate 10 At the conclusion of data collection for a particular cluster or catchment area a designated Data Manager will ensure consistency of data management across sites and guarantee quality marking of the output by a removing any noise generated by the data transmission process e g duplicate records A log of all corrections undertaken during the cleaning process will be maintained b checking for errors internal inconsistencies or missing data and c querying with the field team any errors internal consistencies or missing data At the conclusion of data collection f
4. Verify that LINKS app is updated a b moan Navigate to and tap Play Store Tap the Apps Menu button then tap My Apps or tap the download symbol arrow pointing to horizontal line Scroll down to Task Force LINKS and tap it Tap Update if shown Tap Accept amp download Tap the Home button to return to the main screen F Check that an admin password has been set G Del a b C mo a moaoge 09 te Open the LINKS app Tap the Menu button Tap Admin Login If you are asked to enter a password here it is 1325 without the quotation marks If you are not asked to enter a password you are not required to set one however it is recommended Tap the Menu button again Tap Change settings Scroll to the bottom and you will see Admin Password Enter 1325 Use the same password for all the devices in your project old surveys to be done before starting a new survey Open the LINKS app Tap the Menu button Tap Admin Login Enter the password then tap OK Tap Delete Saved Form Tap Blank Forms in the top right corner then tap forms that should be deleted then tap Delete Selected Confirm by tapping Delete Forms Tap the Back button once to return to the previous screen or twice to return to the LINKS main screen H Set Server Settings and Download Survey s There are 2 settings currently approved for ENVISION depending on the type of survey being conduc
5. a surge protector when charging your phone as any losses of power and subsequent power surges could weaken the battery Memo The Android device has sufficient space to collect many days worth of survey data providing it is used for work only and not for personal use Do not download any applications without permission or use the camera for taking pictures these things use up memory and leave less room for the survey data Levels of access To register for an account and password for a particular survey dashboard go to https linkssystem org login For access to GTMP trachoma baseline data go to https linkssystem org GTMP registerproject ph Prior to posting a survey on LINKS a project coordinator should submit a list of names contact information and the level of access to be granted to individual users The levels of access may vary between countries and surveys and depending on your level of data access you may have the ability to view additional details at each level but in general there are four levels of access Example Organization Individual E mail Rights NTD Dr James Brown jamesbrown yahoo com Full access to both approved and Programme raw data summaries Coordinator Can download raw datasets Can download clean dataset Can mark clean data as approved Group1 Ministry of Health o Full access to both approved and raw data summaries o Can download raw datasets o Can download clean dataset
6. disable the wi fi service on the phone menu gt gt setting gt gt Wireless amp networks gt gt uncheck the wi fi box once it has been disabled re enable it and try again If this also does not work reboot the phone and try again If this does not work call your supervisor for further suggestions Problems with the equipment Most equipment problems are related to the battery and the camera If the battery is no longer holding a charge then see if a replacement battery is available If no battery is available attempt to switch the battery with another phone preferably spare equipment and see if the problem persists My username and password does not give me access to the website If you are not able to access the website or your account does not give you access to the proper features or projects please contact the RTI technical advisor Frequently asked questions 1 How often to charge the device You should charge the devices nightly If you are using the device on airplane mode or only a few hours each day it might appear that the battery still has nearly a full charge It is still advisable to charge often to avoid running out of power Editing data in the field You will not be able to edit data in the field Once data are entered into the phone you will only be able to edit it through the web interface If you realize that data needs to be edited write down as much as you can about the record and the edits and give th
7. dual LINKS Icons The following are standard navigation symbols used on the LINKS App found at the bottom of the screen and are part of the android operating system Icons may vary slightly between devices isle ft ecsecorees r eee cau Back Button Home Button Split Screen Screen Shot Menu Buton Displays other Return to Goes directly Shows all open Takes a photo Allows applications previous page to Android screens of screen administrative on device Home Page access to app Device Set up There are only a few functions and set up procedures you must be familiar with before using the Android device Please note that there are some differences in the set up between smartphones and tablets and has been indicated as appropriate Please charge the Android first before continuing When using a new survey on the LINKS system for the first time it is important to conduct a practice test at least 2 weeks before actual field data is collected This will help identify problems and correct them before teams are sent into the field A Preparations a Charge the Android phone before inserting the SIM card applicable only to phones b Check that there is a Micro SD card in place applicable only to phones i Tablet devices will store data automatically onto an internal card unless manually programmed to save data to external SD card B Turning off and on a To turn on hold the power button down for a few seconds The power butto
8. each night to ensure they have adequate power for a full day of survey work Use provided chargers to plug in to the main power preferred If available devices can be charged with a car charger or an emergency back up battery charger Airplane Mode Keeping the Android on airport mode disables the network This means you cannot send data automatically When you do not need a network connection putting the Android in airplane mode will conserve battery An airplane will show in the status bar when it is turned on and indicates that you have no network connection During fieldwork Airplane mode should normally be kept ON This will preserve battery while you are in the field and using the Android When the Android is on this mode the surveys will be saved to the micro SD card or internal card but not uploaded to the server The only time you should turn off the airplane mode is when you are uploading data to the server which should be done at least once every day when you have good reception Turn off airport mode by clicking on the airplane button on the main screen If this does not work go into the Settings menu where the first option allows the user to turn airplane mode on or off Before and after fieldwork While travelling to the survey site and in the evenings you should turn the Android off Phones should be turned off while charging them in the evening This will conserve battery and allow your phone to be charged faster Use
9. iew of the sky The Android needs to locate three satellites so needs a large area of sky If it still does not work within a few minutes check that use of GPS is enabled in the settings menu as described above Once the Record Location button is pressed a Loading Location box will appear If the accuracy is lt 10m the recorder should press the small Record Location button below the Loading Location box Scanner not functioning The ZXing Barcode scanner app allows a user to scan 1 D or 2 D graphical barcodes with the camera on their Android device There are many different types of barcodes supported by this application which allows users to quickly link a unique identifier with individual samples Both traditional 1 D barcodes and 2 D barcodes QR code and Data Matrix require users to have a steady hand to make sure the scanner captures the entire barcode sequence Patience is sometimes needed but also ensure that the camera lens is clean No network Check that the airplane mode is turned off If you are accessing the internet through a cellular server then you will need to check with them to see if you have the settings setup properly and if you have minutes or data remaining for your account There are a variety of ways to check this and they will vary by provider If you are accessing the internet through wi fi then you will need to make sure the network is currently online If it is online you can try to
10. ile devices procured by the ENVISION project remain the property of the project and will be kept and maintained by ENVISION partners As appropriate devices will be made available to National NTD Program Managers for the completion of NTD survey work that follows WHO protocols Applications Apps Most paper based surveys and data collection tools can be converted into an electronic format using Open Data Kit ODK and stored on a central server cloud based that is accessible through the LINKS app The LINKS app is free and can be downloaded through the Android Market Google Play on to any android device search for Task Force LINKS Most devices procured by ENVISION will already have the LINKS app downloaded A Geographical Positioning System GPS is automatically built in to android based devices and will function regardless of whether there is a wireless connection Surveys that require geographical coordinates will prompt users to Record Location within the survey questionnaire Although a GPS app is not required to be downloaded for a survey a stand alone app like GPS essentials might be useful if a program only needs to occasionally collect a geographic coordinate Additional apps like Zxing barcode might be necessary if the survey design includes collection of specimens that are labeled with barcodes A barcode scanner is a fast and accurate way of linking a unique identifier on a particular specimen with an indivi
11. is information to your team data manager Before a record is saved the summary page of the data you entered is provided as a final check but once you click save the data can only be edited online or through ODBC connection This was done by design of the app and can not be changed for a single project Determine if data was received Tf your data are no longer listed in the Send Finalized Data button then your data was successfully sent and processed Your project data will appear online as soon as the record count on the button Send Finalized Form goes to zero Should I backup my data Tf you are able to transmit your data to the central server then your data are already backed up it remains on the phone even after transmission to the central server If you are not able to transmit your data please contact Administrator
12. n is typically located on the top or upper right hand side of the device i When turned on Androids may take a few minutes to find a network and will only connect if the airplane mode is turned off see below b To turn off hold the power button down for a few seconds when device is unlocked and then press the Power off button that appears on the screen i Androids should be turned off at night while charging and turned on every morning before leaving for the field to ensure that they are functioning C Remove the PIN lock only required if the Android phone requests PIN entry when turned on ang Tap the Menu button bottom of phone looks like a group of 4 small squares the upper left one of which is solid white Tap Settings Tap Location amp security Tap Set up SIM card lock If the square next to Lock SIM card is green then the PIN lock is turned on Tap it to turn it off You will need to enter the PIN for the SIM D Verify date and time an oe f g h Tap the Menu button Tap Settings Tap Date amp time Tap Select time zone then tap on the time zone that you re in Make sure that the Automatic date amp time box is not selected then manually set the time Select the check box Use 24 hour format if available Tap on Select date format choosing the one that represents dd mm yyyy Now select the check box Automatic date amp Time E
13. or each Evaluation Unit the Data Manager notifies the MOH Focal Person s by email that the cleaned dataset and correction log are available to be evaluated A copy of the dataset can be shared at this time The MOH Focal Person evaluates the data and then either approves the dataset approval C or queries it with other Technical Advisors Any queries are resolved by the Data Manager Technical Advisors and MOH Focal Person s with reference to MOH personnel who have been involved in data collection as required The product is the approved dataset The Data Manager notifies the MOH Focal Person s or designate by email that the approved dataset is available Analyses shown on the dashboard are run automatically using algorithms that have been pre agreed between the technical advisors and the MOH Focal Person s Any queries are resolved by the MOH Focal Person s and Technical Advisors working together The MOH Focal Person s or designate then signs off on the summary data approval P At this point the approved dataset can be uploaded to the country s national repository if desired Depending on additional approvals granted by the MOH summary data can be pushed to other cloud based databases for display Troubleshooting If you experience any of the following problems with the Android try the following GPS not functioning Ensure that you are standing well away from any houses or trees and that you have a clear v
14. ove to the next question tap the right pointing directional arrow To return to a question tap the left pointing directional arrow Please note that some surveys use multiple forms that are automatically linked based on previous entries e g resident record form is liked to household record form For this reason it is preferable that only one android device be used to enter all the data from any one cluster Most surveys will ask for IDs for a particular implementation or administrative unit Although each country may have a different system for assigning IDs please verify with the RTI technical advisor which ID codes should be used for district administrative units Once all required information has been entered onto a form review data Once data is reviewed tap Save and send Form button This will bring you back to the main menu screen where you can continue to fill in another form using the Fill Blank Form button J Uploading Data a Data is automatically sent to a specified server when a connection is available When a connection is not available the system will store the data and the number of records waiting to be sent will be indicated on the Send Finalized Form button on the main screen b If airplane mode is on or there is no reception during fieldwork upload data once there is reception Data should be uploaded every day to prevent potential loss of data c When all data have been sent the number nex
15. t to the button Send Finalized Form should be zero If data are not sending manually send data i Turn off airplane mode in an area with good reception ii Give a few minutes to connect to the network ii Open the LINKS application and tap on Send Finalized Form The number of forms should reflect any recent forms filled out but not sent iv Tap on Toggle All which will select all forms v Tap on Send Selected which will begin uploading your forms You may see a message saying Background send running please try again shortly This indicates that the forms are uploading automatically return to the main LINKS menu where you should see the number of forms remaining decreasing Continue checking this until all forms are sent If not all forms are uploaded try again vi If uploading is interrupted because the Android loses its network connection you can re enter LINKS later to continue uploading the remaining forms d Once uploading has finished turn off the Android and charge it for the next day K After Mobile Device Trainings a clear training data on each Android i Tap the Menu button and login to Admin Login ii Tap the Delete Saved Form button iii Tap the Toggle All button at the bottom to select all saved forms iv Tap Delete Selected v Tap the Back button then back again to return to the main LINKS screen vi Tap the Fill Blank Form button to make sure the actual surveys were
16. ted a b Open the LINKS app Tap the Menu button gt gt tap Admin login Enter Admin password if prompted 1325 Tap the Menu button again gt gt tap Change settings i Please consult with a RTI ENVISION technical advisor to obtain correct Server username and password ii Tap the Back button iii Tap Get blank form iv Ifyou see a login prompt reenter the username and password as shown in section ii above and tap OK v Tap the check boxes for the forms you wish to download 1 Some surveys have only one form and others are broken into multiple forms that are linked through unique identifiers entered by users tap the check boxes for the forms that are part of the survey Example Project Name CLUSTER Project Name HOUSEHOLD Project Name RESIDENT Project Name ABSENT RETURN Project Name CLUSTER COMPLETE Project Name ERROR REPORT roject Name SUPERVISOR gemoaage vi Tap Get Selected vii You will see a confirmation that forms have been downloaded Tap OK viii Tap the Back button to return to the LINKS main screen I Starting the Survey a b From the main menu screen gt gt tap Fill Blank Form View list of survey files that have been downloaded to the device Click on the appropriate form to start The system will automatically launch into the data collection mode The opening screen of the survey will let you know about navigation though the survey To m
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