If your license provides for it, you can create a question that prompts the user to take a photo, a video or an audio recording. Here's how:


  • Create a Text Entry question,.
  • To the end of the Analytics Code 
    • Add "_IMG" for photos.
    • Add "_VID" for video.
    • Add _AUD for audio. 
      • Add _READ to allow the participant to see 
        and read text on the screen while recording 
  • The media will be uploaded to the mEMA server
  • When you are ready to download the media, please visit our article Bulk Media Downloads.


Here's an example:




Important note on device permissions: 

The first time a participant answers a question with media capture, their phone will stop the survey to get permission for mEMA to use the camera or microphone. To overcome this device limitation, on the mEMA app's "My Codes" screen are the options "Take a Photo", "Record a Video", and "Record Audio". We recommend having your participant use any or all of those options to initiate the phone's permission request prompt before they take a survey. Another option is to have your participants take a mock media capture survey with image, video and/or audio recording questions for the purposes of granting the permission so that they're not interrupted when taking the actual survey.


On Android phones, sometimes those permissions can be granted in advance by going to the Settings menu > Apps > mEMA > Permissions 



About using the app for audio recordings


  • Audio files are stored on the phone for as long as the mEMA app remains on the phone. 

  • After the survey availability window is closed - the duration of which is controlled by the researcher – the files are not accessible to anyone who picks up the phone.

  • Once the files are sent up to the secure ilumivu database they are available for download to the researcher. 



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