Overview

We are building a digital tool — called the Ontology for Digital Markers in Mental Health (ODIM-MH) — to improve the quality and consistency of mental health research that uses digital data. It creates a common language for defining digital markers: measurements collected from devices like wearables and smartphones.

Ontology (in the context of data and research) is a structured, agreed-upon list of terms and the relationships between them. Think of it like a shared dictionary — but one that also explains how concepts connect to each other.

For example, an ontology might formally establish that "step count" is a type of "physical activity marker" which is in turn a type of "digital marker". This helps computers and researchers interpret data the same way, even when the data comes from different sources or studies.

Background

Researchers are collecting a wide range of data from digital devices — such as location from smartphones, step counts from fitness trackers, and patterns in how people type or speak. But there is no shared standard for how to label or organise this data.

As a result, the same type of measurement is often named differently across studies. This makes it hard to combine datasets or repeat research reliably.

ODIM-MH addresses this by creating a clear, consistent framework that connects raw device data to meaningful concepts. It is designed to be a living resource, shaped and updated by the community over time.

Three aims, one shared goal

ODIM-MH was developed with input from a wide range of stakeholders and is built around three connected goals:

1. Define and validate the structure: Create a formal, widely compatible ontology that can be used in real-world research and linked to related ontologies.
2. Build a community-driven process: Develop a clear, quality-controlled way for people to contribute new markers over time, including practical data processing steps.

3. Drive awareness and adoption: Produce accessible materials and engage researchers, mental health professionals, technologists, and people with lived experience — with a focus on clarity, ease of use, and trust.

    

Key project outputs

• A formal, reusable ontology ready for the research community.
• A clear process for community contributions and quality review.
• A demonstration of how ODIM-MH connects with other existing ontologies.
• A fully documented example — from raw device data to usable digital markers.
• A peer-reviewed publication describing the ontology and lessons learned.
• A public website with access to the ontology, guides, and resources.

What ODIM-MH covers

ODIM-MH is focused on research infrastructure: providing a shared, transparent, and reproducible language for digital markers.

✓ In Scope

• Creating a framework for defining digital markers
• Enabling comparisons across devices and studies
• Compatibility with other existing ontologies

Shape the future of digital mental health research

Whether you're a researcher, mental health professional, developer, or someone with lived experience of mental health challenges we invite you to explore odim-mh.