Using Bluetooth Beacon Technology to Reduce Distracted Pedestrian Behavior
Phase: NA
Conditions: Health Behavior
Sponsor: University of Alabama at Birmingham

 
 
 
 
Study Protocol, NCT 03604497 
(last updated 8/16/19) 
 
 

 
Beacon Study Protocol 
 
I. Consent 
There are two ways for participants to complete consent. Participants who scheduled an 
appointment are given the option to complete the consent and questionnaires before 
they come download the app. If they indicate they have done this method, you must 
check on Qualtrics and make sure that they have completed this step before 
downloading the app on their phones. If they have completed the consent and 
questionnaires, inform them about how the app functions and the purpose of the study 
and answer any questions they have.  
Alternatively, we can complete consent in lab. Consent will be done using the iPads in 
lab if the participant is a walk-in appointment or if they did not complete consent before 
their appointment. Click on the “Beacon Consent” app on the iPads to continue. Enter 
the participant ID into the survey, which can be found on the “Beacon Participant List” 
Excel spreadsheet in the Shares Drive inside the “BEACON” Folder. Select the first 
available ID number. 
Explain the consent form briefly to participants, allow them to read the consent for and 
answer any questions. Inform them about how the app functions and the purpose of the 
study. If they select “Agree”, you may proceed.  
II. Questionnaires 
For participants who have not yet completed questionnaires, they should be completed 
in the waiting room on the iPads following completion of the consent process. Complete: 
- 
Walking Journal 
- 
Cell phone usage survey 
- 
Demographics sheet 
Collect iPads once participants have completed the survey.  
 
III. Download App 
Participants who have finished the consent process and the surveys can bring their 
phones back for download. Ideally, while one researcher works with participants to 
download the app, another researcher can have participants fill out the W-9 form and 
process the payment.  
 

IV. Payment 
Have participants complete W-9 form for payment. Greenphire will be used to process 
each participant’s payment. Anyone with access to the Greenphire login can upload the 
participant’s information to Greenphire. Log in from https://www.clincard.com/login/. 
Click on “Register Subject” and select the study ending with “300001917”. Enter in 
participants’ Subject ID, first and last name, address, and date of birth. Click on 
“Register”. Click on “Assign Card”. Click on “Request Payment”. 
Tell participants to allow about 24 hours for payment to be approved. Thank them for 
coming in and remind them of the following: 
1. They should not delete the app off their phone for the full Fall semester. We will 
be monitoring this remotely and ask them to return to lab if they delete the app. 
2. They should cross the intersection of 14th and University at least 4 times a week, 
and ideally more often. 
3. If they have an iPhone and their phone goes dead (e.g. dead battery) or is turned 
off for some reason, they need to re-start the app. If they don’t’ do this, we will 
know it remotely and contact them to do it.  
4. The app will not do anything for several weeks. At some point later in the 
semester, they will start getting alerts to remind them not to cross the street while 
distracted. We cannot tell them when these alerts will start, and it may be 
different for different people.