20.08.2025, 13:08 | Reading time: 4 min

By Alena Klenke

 

In Short​

• KIWIT member Alena Klenke at the ESRA Conference in Utrecht

• Presentation on the use of wearables in research

• Exciting sessions on AI applications in survey design

​

This year, the European Survey Research Association (ESRA) conference took place at Utrecht University, under the theme: “Promises and problems of new and alternative data sources and data formats for survey research. Methodological challenges and substantive conclusions.”

​

The conference opened with an inspiring keynote by Kristen Olson (University of Nebraska–Lincoln) titled “From Mail Surveys to Chatbots: Changes in Survey Modes, Methods, and Data Sources Over Time.” Olson traced the development of survey methods—from classical mail surveys to modern digital formats—and highlighted the opportunities and challenges that new technologies and data sources bring for future research.

​

Together with Maximiliane Reifenscheid (University of Kassel), I presented our study “Exploring the Feasibility and Acceptance of Measuring Time Use with Wearables Among Parents”—a collaborative project between the Universities of Oldenburg and Kassel—during the session “Data Collection Using Wearable Devices: Challenges and Opportunities.”

​

Using a mixed-methods design, we investigate how wearables can be used to capture daily routines and work distribution in families with young children more precisely, how parents evaluate the use of such technologies, and what influence wearables have on study participation.

How do wearables work?

 

 

 

 

(Explanatory video by the Telemedicine Coordination Center Baden-Württemberg using the example of health/medicine)

Wearables in Survey Research and KI Applications at ESRA 2025

​

In this context, wearables refer to small electronic devices worn on the body and equipped with sensors. Examples include RFID tags, which can record face-to-face interactions between individuals, and GPS sensors, which track mobility. When investigating the division of labor within families, several challenges must be considered, such as response biases due to memory lapses or social desirability. Against this backdrop, wearables constitute a promising complementary tool to classical research methods.

​

The conference also featured numerous sessions on current applications of AI in survey research, ranging from questionnaire design to automated coding of open-ended responses and LLM-generated synthetic respondents. The program demonstrated the diverse possibilities for integrating AI into the research process, as well as the challenges associated with these advancements.

​

About ESRA: The European Survey Research Association (ESRA) organizes its main conference every two years to bring together survey researchers, methodologists, and statisticians from Europe and beyond. The conference showcases the latest developments in survey research and offers professional development opportunities, including workshops and awards. ESRA aims to be highly inclusive and actively promotes the participation of doctoral candidates and early-career researchers.

​

​

​

Further information:

• [ESRA website]

• [Alena Klenke profile]

​

​

​

​

Review date: 20 August 2025