App developer Nana Yaw Aboagye is a PhD researcher in biomedical engineering at Newcastle University and a member of the Digital Health, Ageing Innovation and Inclusion research theme. He investigates digital biomarkers of fatigue and how they can be used to better understand and support people living with chronic conditions and developed the app as part of his PhD journey, supported by the NIHR Biomedical Research Centre (BRC): Newcastle. The aim is to help bridge the gap between everyday lived experience of fatigue and the data captured through wearable devices.
Fatigue is one of the most common and disabling symptoms reported in many long-term conditions, yet it is often difficult to measure and communicate. From both his research and conversations with patients, it became clear that there is a need for more personalised, accessible tools that can help people make sense of their fatigue patterns in daily life.
FatigueSense was designed with this in mind. The app connects with a range of smartwatches and wearable devices, using data such as activity levels, heart rate, sleep, and movement to provide users with personalised insights into their fatigue patterns.
Key features include:
The app is now available to download for free on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
His supervisor Prof Mark Baker says “FatigueSense represents an important step towards more personalised and data-driven management of fatigue. Nana's work aimed at bridging the gap between research and real-world application, creating a tool that could significantly enhance both patient self-management and clinical understanding of fatigue. It has been a pleasure to support Nana through this journey!"
"FatigueSense will empower people with chronic fatigue to monitor their physiology, modify lifestyle choices and behaviours, and optimise well-being with digital health technology.”, says supervisor and BRC Deputy Academic Career Development (ACD) Lead Dr Silvia Del Din.
Nana says: ‘My hope is that FatigueSense will not only support individuals in managing their fatigue day-to-day, but also contribute to wider research into how digital tools can improve long-term condition management. I also hope it helps bring patients’ lived experiences more directly into clinical understanding and care.’
This project has been an important part of his PhD journey, combining biomedical engineering, digital health, and patient-focused research to create something that is both scientifically meaningful and practically useful.
Download the app
FatigueSense is a new digital health app developed to track data such as activity levels, heart rate, sleep, and movement to provide users with personalised insights into their fatigue patterns.