The Sleep and Circadian Research Laboratory at the University of Michigan specializes in studying sleep and circadian rhythm disorders associated with conditions such as depression, chronic pain, addiction, diabetes, HIV, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

To advance their research, the laboratory needed a reliable way for participants to collect saliva samples at home under controlled dim-light conditions—without compromising scientific accuracy. Traditional lab-based collection posed logistical challenges and reduced participation flexibility.

To address this, Michigan Medicine partnered with Symphonize to design and develop a purpose-built mobile application that guides participants through structured, low-light saliva sample collection while ensuring research-grade precision.

Our Solution: A Research-Optimized Mobile Study Companion

Symphonize engineered the DLMO app to support accurate, remote circadian rhythm measurement while maintaining strict adherence to research protocols.

Step-by-Step Participant Guidance: Designed a structured workflow that walks users through brushing, sample collection, session documentation, and selfie verification—ensuring consistent, protocol-aligned execution.

Ambient Light Monitoring: Integrated light sensor tracking to measure environmental brightness levels, alert users if conditions exceed thresholds, and record light exposure data for researchers to review alongside biological samples.

Built-In Timers and Smart Reminders: Implemented automated timers and notifications to keep participants on schedule, improving compliance and minimizing data inconsistencies.

Low-Light Optimized Interface: Developed a UI specifically calibrated for dim environments, reducing screen brightness and visual stimulation to prevent interference with melatonin production.

Secure Research Data Integration: Structured and securely stored collected data for streamlined analysis, enabling researchers to remotely monitor study adherence and circadian rhythm markers with confidence.

Enabling Accurate At-Home Sample Collection

The app transforms complex circadian rhythm measurement into a guided digital process, improving participant accuracy without requiring lab visits.

Strengthening Research Compliance

Automated reminders, sensor validation, and structured workflows reduce protocol deviations and enhance study reliability.

Supporting Scalable Remote Studies

The secure, mobile-based architecture allows research teams to expand participation while reducing logistical overhead associated with in-person monitoring.

Impact: Advancing Circadian Rhythm Science Through Technology

The DLMO app has streamlined remote circadian rhythm research by enabling accurate, structured, at-home sample collection. Participants value its intuitive guidance and reminders, while researchers benefit from reliable, timestamped, light-validated data without the constraints of lab-based visits.

By combining thoughtful UX design with precise scientific requirements, the DLMO app supports expanded research opportunities and enhances the reliability of circadian phase measurement studies.

Research-Optimized Mobile Application

Low-Light Precision Interface

Secure Remote Data Collection

We deliver solutions to:

Patricia Campbell, Chief Operating Officer.
Christian Financial Credit Union

"The Symphonize team is amazing! Their ideas and designs for our website are truly exceptional, and they consistently follow through on delivery. With their flexible, collaborative approach, they are a pleasure to work with, and we just love the end result."

Sean Johnston, Senior Vice President - Operations and Technology.
Huntington National Bank

"The Symphonize team makes it so much easier! They can see through the complexity and the outliers to pull together an elegant solution that makes a complex product more intuitive. The team is always great to work with, challenging us when needed and helping us see beyond our requirements. We’ve been thrilled with the results so far and look forward to what the future will bring."

Ed Rose, CEO.
Paqqets

"Symphonize brings the expertise we need to make good decisions and stay calibrated. Our teams work together seamlessly. If you sat in on a working session, it would be hard to tell the Symphonize folks from my team. They have a seat at the table for every important decision."

David Jones, CIO.
Meridian Medical Management

"Symphonize is a one-stop shop that supports us at every stage: from whiteboarding to architecture to development to implementation. They know what the market is doing and reliably guide us to next generation technologies that will put us ahead of our competition."

Fady Zoweil, VP of Professional Services.
Thales Group

"The Symphonize Solution Architects and development team are excellent. We can assign tough tasks and know they will do them right without creating complexity or delays. I trust Symphonize to deliver on our commitment and achieve our customer’s goals because they've been doing it for 8 years now."

Terry Leahy, CEO.
Meridian Medical Management

"We have been successfully partnering with Symphonize for many years on a broad variety of technologies and product roadmaps. From Big Data analytics product development to rapid development and deployment of RPA, Symphonize has been our key strategic relationship. Their team functions seamlessly as an extension of our product management teams, which has enabled us to dramatically increase release velocity and quality simultaneously."