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Active Tasks and Mobile Toolbox

MyCap: Active Tasks & Mobile Toolbox

Article ID RC-MYCAP-06 — MyCap: Active Tasks & Mobile Toolbox
Domain MyCap Mobile App
Applies To Projects with MyCap enabled; Active Tasks availability varies by device OS and app version
Prerequisite RC-MYCAP-03 — MyCap: Task Scheduling
Version 1.0
Last Updated 2026
Author See KB-SOURCE-ATTESTATION.md
Related Topics RC-MYCAP-02 — MyCap: Designing Instruments for MyCap; RC-MYCAP-03 — MyCap: Task Scheduling

1. Overview

This article covers MyCap Active Tasks and the Mobile Toolbox (MTB). Active Tasks are sensor-based assessments built into the MyCap app that use the device's hardware (accelerometer, microphone, camera, gyroscope) to capture objective performance data. The Mobile Toolbox is a set of cognitive assessments from the NIH Toolbox available as a special Active Task type. This article describes the available task categories, individual tasks, device compatibility, configurable settings, and scheduling considerations. Active Tasks are distinct from instrument-based surveys — they are preconfigured assessments, not custom REDCap instruments.

2. Key Concepts & Definitions

Active Task

A preconfigured, sensor-based assessment in MyCap that uses device hardware to capture objective data. Active Tasks are not built from REDCap instruments — they are bundled capabilities of the MyCap app. Examples: gait analysis using the accelerometer, audio recording, tone audiometry using headphone output.

Mobile Toolbox (MTB)

A set of cognitive assessments from the NIH Toolbox (National Institutes of Health), integrated into MyCap. MTB tasks measure cognitive domains including processing speed, attention, memory, and executive function. Available as of REDCap v14.3.8.

Supplemental Data

Structured JSON data generated by an Active Task during assessment (e.g., per-step accelerometer readings for a gait task). Captured in a field annotated with @MC-TASK-SUPPLEMENTALDATA.

Serialized Result

The full encoded result object from an Active Task, stored in a field annotated with @MC-TASK-SERIALIZEDRESULT. Used for advanced data export and analysis.

Task Configuration

Active Tasks have configurable parameters (e.g., duration, number of trials, tone frequency) that the study team sets during project setup. These parameters shape what the participant experiences during the task.

3. Device Compatibility

Active Task availability depends on the participant's device operating system and which version of MyCap they are using (Classic vs. current).

Active Task MyCap Classic — iOS MyCap Classic — Android MyCap (current) — iOS MyCap (current) — Android
Tapping Speed ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Selfie Capture ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓
Audio Recording ✗ ✓ ✓ ✓
Range of Motion ✓ ✗ ✓ ✓
Gait and Balance ✓ ✗ ✓ ✓
Fitness Check ✓ ✗ ✓ ✓
Timed Walk ✓ ✗ ✓ ✓
Spatial Memory ✓ ✗ ✓ ✓
Stroop Test ✓ ✗ ✓ ✓
Trail Making Test ✓ ✗ ✓ ✓
PSAT / PAVSAT ✓ ✗ ✓ ✓
Tower of Hanoi ✓ ✗ ✓ ✓
Sustained Phonation ✓ ✗ ✓ ✓
Tone Audiometry ✓ ✗ ✓ ✓
9-Hole Peg Test ✓ ✗ ✓ ✓
Amsler Grid ✓ ✗ ✓ ✓
Speech in Noise ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗
Environmental SPL ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗
dBHL Tone Audiometry ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗

Note: MyCap Classic is retired as of August 2024. All new projects should direct participants to the current (purple) MyCap app. The Classic column is shown for reference only, for projects with participants still on legacy devices.

4. Active Task Categories

4.1 Motor Tasks

Motor tasks assess physical function using the device's accelerometer, gyroscope, and touch screen.

Range of Motion Assesses shoulder or knee range of motion. The participant holds the phone on the body part being assessed and moves through a specified range of motion while the accelerometer tracks the angle. - Configurable: body part (shoulder / knee), limb side (left / right), number of repetitions.

Tapping Speed Assesses hand-finger dexterity by having the participant alternately tap two on-screen buttons as fast as possible for a set duration. - Configurable: duration (seconds). - Compatible: iOS and Android (all versions).

Gait and Balance Assesses walking speed and balance using the accelerometer. The participant walks a specified distance while holding the phone. - Configurable: walk distance, number of trials, rest duration.

Fitness Check (Step Test) Assesses aerobic fitness using a step-test protocol. The participant steps up and down in time with a metronome while the app tracks cadence. - Configurable: step duration, step count.

Timed Walk Assesses walking speed over a defined distance. The participant walks a straight path while the app times the walk. - Configurable: distance (meters or feet).

4.2 Cognition Tasks

Cognition tasks assess cognitive function using on-screen interactive tests.

Spatial Memory Assesses short-term spatial memory. A sequence of tiles lights up; the participant must reproduce the sequence by tapping the tiles in order. - Configurable: number of rounds, memory span range.

Stroop Test Assesses selective attention and cognitive flexibility. The participant identifies the ink color of color words (e.g., the word "RED" printed in blue ink). - Configurable: number of trials.

Trail Making Test Assesses processing speed and cognitive flexibility (analog of the neuropsychological paper-and-pencil test). The participant connects numbered (and lettered) dots in sequence. - Configurable: trials (numbers only / numbers and letters).

PSAT / PAVSAT (Paced Auditory/Visual Serial Addition Test) Assesses working memory and information-processing speed. The participant hears or sees numbers and must add each number to the previous one. - Configurable: auditory (PSAT) or visual (PAVSAT), pacing interval.

Tower of Hanoi Assesses problem-solving and planning. The participant moves disks between pegs to recreate a target configuration using the fewest moves. - Configurable: number of disks.

4.3 Speech Tasks

Speech tasks use the device microphone to capture audio for acoustic analysis.

Sustained Phonation (Vowel Phonation) Assesses vocal quality and respiratory function. The participant holds a sustained vowel sound ("ahhh") into the microphone for a set duration. The app records the audio. - Configurable: duration (seconds).

Audio Recording A general-purpose audio capture task. The participant speaks or reads aloud; the app records the audio. - Configurable: duration, prompt text. - Compatible: iOS and Android (current MyCap only for iOS).

4.4 Hearing Task

Tone Audiometry Assesses hearing thresholds across frequency ranges. The participant listens through headphones and responds when they hear a tone. The app maps the hearing threshold curve. - Configurable: frequency range, ear (left / right / both). - Requires: headphones connected to the device.

4.5 Hand Dexterity and Vision Tasks

9-Hole Peg Test Assesses fine motor dexterity. The participant places virtual pegs into holes on screen as quickly as possible. - Configurable: number of trials, hand (left / right / both).

Amsler Grid Assesses central visual field for distortions (used in macular degeneration monitoring). The participant covers one eye and views the Amsler grid image, then marks any distorted areas. - Configurable: eye (left / right / both).

Selfie Capture Captures a photo of the participant's face using the front-facing camera. Can be used for face-based assessments. - Compatible: Android (MyCap Classic); iOS and Android (current MyCap).

5. Mobile Toolbox (MTB)

The Mobile Toolbox provides NIH Toolbox cognitive assessments within MyCap.

  • REDCap version required: v14.3.8 or later.
  • MTB tasks measure cognitive domains including processing speed, attention, memory, and executive function — the same domains assessed by standard NIH Toolbox instruments.
  • MTB tasks are added in the MyCap Active Tasks tab, separate from standard Active Tasks.
  • MTB tasks use the same four schedule types as other MyCap tasks (One-time, Infinite, Repeating, Fixed). See RC-MYCAP-03 — MyCap: Task Scheduling
  • Results are stored in REDCap using the same metadata fields as other Active Tasks (@MC-TASK-SUPPLEMENTALDATA, @MC-TASK-SERIALIZEDRESULT).

6. Setting Up Active Tasks

6.1 For Traditional (Non-Longitudinal) Projects

  1. In the MyCap section of the left menu, go to Active Tasks.
  2. Click Add Active Task.
  3. Select the task type from the list of available tasks.
  4. Configure the task-specific parameters.
  5. Set the schedule (see RC-MYCAP-03 — MyCap: Task Scheduling
  6. Save the task.
  7. Publish the project.

6.2 For Longitudinal Projects

In longitudinal projects, Active Tasks must be designated to at least one event before setup:

  1. Go to Designate Instruments for My Events in the left menu.
  2. Add the Active Task to the appropriate event(s).
  3. Then proceed to MyCap > Active Tasks to configure and schedule the task per event.
  4. Publish after configuration.

Important: The event designation step must happen before the Active Task setup step in longitudinal projects. Attempting to configure an Active Task before designating it to an event will result in the task not appearing in the scheduling interface.

7. Capturing Active Task Data

Active Task results are stored in REDCap fields using the task metadata annotations:

  • @MC-TASK-SUPPLEMENTALDATA: Stores structured JSON containing per-sample or per-step data from the assessment (e.g., accelerometer readings per gait step). Most useful for motor and gait tasks.
  • @MC-TASK-SERIALIZEDRESULT: Stores the full serialized result object. Used for tasks where the complete encoded output is needed for external analysis tools.

Add fields with these annotations to the instrument associated with the Active Task. These fields are hidden from the participant (use @MC-FIELD-HIDDEN).

8. Common Questions

Q: Can I use Active Tasks on both iOS and Android?

A: Most Active Tasks are available on both iOS and Android in the current MyCap app (purple logo). See the compatibility table in Section 3. Speech in Noise, Environmental SPL, and dBHL Tone Audiometry are not available on either platform.

Q: Do participants need any special equipment for Active Tasks?

A: Most Active Tasks require only the participant's mobile device. Tone Audiometry requires headphones connected to the device. Gait and Balance tasks require the participant to be able to walk.

Q: How is Active Task data stored in REDCap?

A: Active Task results are stored in fields annotated with @MC-TASK-SUPPLEMENTALDATA (structured JSON) and/or @MC-TASK-SERIALIZEDRESULT (full result object). Standard task metadata (start time, end time, schedule date) uses the standard @MC-TASK-* annotations described in RC-MYCAP-02 — MyCap: Designing Instruments for MyCap.

Q: What is the Mobile Toolbox and how is it different from standard Active Tasks?

A: The Mobile Toolbox (MTB) is a set of NIH Toolbox cognitive assessments integrated into MyCap. Unlike standard Active Tasks (which use device sensors for physical or perceptual measurements), MTB tasks are standardized cognitive instruments with normative data from the NIH Toolbox. MTB requires REDCap v14.3.8 or later.

Q: Can I add my own custom active tasks?

A: No. Active Tasks are a fixed set of preconfigured assessments built into the MyCap app. You cannot create custom sensor-based tasks through the REDCap interface.

Q: My study participants have a mix of iOS and Android devices. Which Active Tasks can I use?

A: On the current MyCap app, Tapping Speed, Selfie Capture, Audio Recording, and all motor, cognition, and hearing tasks are available on both iOS and Android. Speech in Noise, Environmental SPL, and dBHL Tone Audiometry are not available on either. Select tasks that are compatible with all device types in your study.

9. Common Mistakes & Gotchas

Adding Active Tasks in longitudinal projects before designating them to events. Active Tasks must be added to event designations first. If you attempt to configure an Active Task without event designation in a longitudinal project, the task will not appear properly in the scheduling interface.

Expecting Active Task results in standard REDCap fields without metadata annotations. Active Task data does not automatically flow into standard REDCap fields. You must add fields with @MC-TASK-SUPPLEMENTALDATA or @MC-TASK-SERIALIZEDRESULT annotations to capture the output.

Using tone audiometry without ensuring participants have headphones. Tone Audiometry requires headphones. If participants attempt the task with device speakers, results will be inaccurate. Specify in participant instructions that headphones are required.

Relying on Active Tasks not supported on Android when your study population uses Android devices. Before finalizing your MyCap project, verify that all selected Active Tasks are compatible with the operating systems your participants actually use. See the compatibility table in Section 3.

Not republishing after adding or removing an Active Task. Like instrument-based tasks, Active Task changes require publishing before participants see them on their devices.