Add voice to an active study
Minimal protocol changes required. No full redesign needed.
- VOICE-BIOME™ platform access
- Free Zana app usage for several months
- Machine learning and data science support in setup, analysis & advanced reports
Announcing the Labfront x Zana Multimodal Digital Biomarkers Research Grant
We’re partnering with Zana to fund researchers combining continuous wearable-derived physiological data with voice biomarkers producing work that neither modality could support alone. Applications open now. Deadline: June 9, 2026.
April 9, 2026
Combining Wearables and Voice Biomarkers: An Open Call for Research
Physiological signals tell you that something changed. Voice can help explain why.
Wearables capture what the body is doing: heart rate variability, respiratory patterns, activity, sleep architecture. Voice carries its own signal, with changes in breath support, phonation, and acoustic features that correlate with cardiopulmonary status, fatigue, neurological state, and more. Collecting both simultaneously, in real-world conditions, opens a class of research that neither modality enables alone.
That’s the premise of this grant. Labfront and Zana are jointly funding studies that combine continuous wearable-derived physiological data with voice-based digital biomarkers. We’re looking for researchers who have a study design to match.
Two research tracks
Applications are open across two research tracks:
Cardiopulmonary extension track
Build on Zana's validated voice biomarker domains by integrating continuous wearable physiological data. Relevant focus areas include COPD and respiratory disease monitoring, heart failure and cardiovascular conditions, early detection of decompensation or exacerbations, and multimodal validation of existing vocal biomarkers. The goal is to strengthen clinically validated use cases with richer, multimodal data.
Open innovation track
For researchers exploring domains where combining voice and physiological data may surface genuinely new insights. Areas of interest include mental health and stress, sleep, women's health, fatigue and recovery, neurological conditions, occupational health, and healthy population longitudinal studies. If you have a compelling rationale for a domain not listed here, make the case.
Grant tiers and award values
We’re awarding multiple grants across four categories, scaled to study scope.
Full grant for new studies
End-to-end support for new or expanded studies on both platforms.
- VOICE-BIOME™ platform access
- Free Zana app usage for several months
- Machine learning and data science support across setup, analysis & advanced reports
- Labfront advanced platform access
- 3x Garmin vivosmart 5 devices
- HRV and actigraphy reports
~$16,000+ estimated total value
Validate cardiopulmonary biomarkers
For projects cross-validating voice against wearable physiological signals.
- VOICE-BIOME™ platform access
- Free Zana app usage for several months
- Machine learning and data science support across setup, analysis & advanced reports
- Labfront advanced platform access
- 1x Garmin vivosmart 5 device
- HRV and actigraphy reports
High-risk, high-impact proposals
For novel domains where voice and wearable data haven't been formally combined.
- VOICE-BIOME™ platform access
- Free Zana app usage for several months
- Machine learning and data science support across setup, analysis & advanced reports
- Labfront advanced platform access
- 1x Garmin vivosmart 5 device
- HRV and actigraphy reports
What researchers receive
The dollar values matter, but the more important asset is direct collaboration.
From Labfront, you get end-to-end infrastructure for continuous physiological data collection and EMA: participant management, scheduling, wearable data pipelines, and analytics reports covering HRV and actigraphy. You’re not piecing together a data workflow mid-study.
From Zana, you get access to the VOICE-BIOME platform, pre-validated cardiopulmonary vocal biomarkers where applicable, and hands-on support from Zana’s team across feature engineering, multimodal data fusion, machine learning strategy, and analysis outputs. If you’re new to voice biomarkers, you’re not navigating that alone.
Eligibility
We’re looking for projects that:
- -Integrate wearable and voice data with a clear rationale for why both modalities are needed
- -Aim to move beyond correlation toward stratification or early detection
- -Can realistically generate publishable findings within a reasonable study timeline
Bring a defined research question, not a general interest in the space. Studies at any stage are eligible, including proposals that add a voice biomarker arm to an ongoing study with minimal protocol amendments.
FAQs
Who is eligible to apply?+
The grant is open to researchers, clinicians, and study teams at any career stage. Projects can be new studies or existing studies adding a voice biomarker component. Applicants do not need prior experience with voice biomarkers — Zana's team provides direct support for setup and analysis.
What wearable devices does the grant provide?+
Grant recipients in the Innovation, Validation, and Pioneer tiers receive Garmin Vivosmart 5 devices for participant data collection. The Innovation Award includes three devices; Validation and Pioneer Awards include one device each. The Integration Grant does not include hardware.
What is a voice biomarker?+
A voice biomarker is a measurable acoustic feature extracted from speech or breath sounds that correlates with a physiological or clinical state. Zana's VOICE-BIOME platform extracts validated vocal biomarkers linked to cardiopulmonary conditions, including COPD, heart failure, and respiratory disease. Combined with wearable data, voice biomarkers add an interpretive layer to continuous physiological monitoring.
What research areas does this grant support?+
The grant covers two tracks. The Cardiopulmonary Extension Track supports studies in COPD, heart failure, respiratory disease monitoring, and multimodal validation of existing vocal biomarkers. The Open Innovation Track is open to any domain where combining voice and physiological data may generate new insights, including mental health, sleep, women's health, fatigue and recovery, neurological conditions, and occupational health.
Can I apply if I already have an ongoing study?+
Yes. The Integration Grant is specifically designed for researchers who want to add voice biomarkers to an existing study with minimal protocol changes, such as a straightforward IRB amendment. Existing studies are eligible across all tiers if the scope fits.
