Mi-Co and its partners, the University of North Carolina (UNC) Breast Imaging Section, Health Decisions and American College of Radiology Imaging Network (ACRIN) have been awarded a $750,000 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract by the National Institute of Health's National Cancer Institute. Mi-Co will utilize its Mi-Forms product suite in order to study the impact of the industry-leading digital writing, data capture software in a clinical trials setting.
This contract will build upon previously successful work by Mi-Co and UNC Breast Imaging Section. In the Phase I study, the research team assessed alternative pen based methods of recording clinical trial data through the digital writing process.
The research team found that the Tablet PC and the Anoto functionality Digital Pen when using the Mi-Forms Software were more efficient, effective and satisfying to users than the more traditional methods. The traditional methods assessed included standard pen on paper processes as well as first generation digital writing technology using the Pocket PC.
In the second phase of the program, Mi-Co, ACRIN and UNC will deploy Mi-Forms with Digital Pens and Tablet PCs on a targeted basis for a clinical trial that is being conducted at UNC.
Dr. Etta Pisano at UNC is optimistic about the use of the Mi-Co technology in the clinical trial setting. "Mi-Co's technology is very exciting because it will make participation in clinical trials easier and more acceptable to very busy clinicians. The digital writing techniques we have been testing are much easier to use than a keyboard and mouse. In addition, these techniques will provide more accurate data because of the system's ability to check for data errors throughout the process from data capture to data communication."
"The entire project team is truly excited about this award. We will see the entire system working in a very demanding environment because of FDA regulations for clinical trials software and processes and the very high data quality standards of the ACRIN organization," said Dr. Greg Clary, Principal Investigator and CTO at Mi-Co.
"The payoff for organizations conducting clinical trials and using digital writing technology could be extraordinary," continued Clary. "The number of steps that can be eliminated or reduced in the process of data capture to data utilization and analysis is significant. We have seen the impact of the ease of use of the Mi-Forms system, as well as the positive impact of the system's error checking, in a number of settings and adding the ACRIN clinical trials process will be beneficial to all organizations that are subject to FDA requirements."
In addition to the specific assessment of data capture and digital writing solutions that turn handwriting into electronic text, the study also includes implementing the transfer of data from Mi-Forms to ACRIN's Oracle backend system via XML.
About Mi-Co
Mi-Co, the mobile data capture company, provides digital writing software that enables an efficient and effective process for capturing and communicating handwritten data. Mi-Co's enterprise Mi-Forms Software System enables flexible e-forms design for data capture using digital ink. In addition, Mi-Forms Software has proven capabilities for handwriting interpretation, verification, data validation and communication of forms-based data for enterprise users. Mi-Forms supports Tablet PCs, Digital Pens, Pocket PCs and signature capture devices. Mi-Co is headquartered in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina and has a Washington customer service center. For more information on Mi-Co, visit www.mi-corporation.com.