One should be able to rely on a neuropsychological test like on a Swiss watch.
Therefore, the software used by NeuroTask has been selected not only for
convenience and safety, but also for reliability.
Convenience
For the reliability (and the convenience) of a neuropsychological test
it is essential that the administered tests provides the same test experience for
everyone. It should not only look the same to everyone, but also behave
in the same manner no matter on what computer it is being taken.
The NeuroTask programming team is specialized in implementing tests (in JavaScript)
in such a way that they remain virtually identical. Whether someone connects to a
test via Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome or another browser. Or whether
some works on a Mac, PC, or laptop. The test stays the same.
Reliability
Until a couple of years ago a great problem with Internet-based testing
was that much depended on the quality of the Internet connection. With a
slow connection, hickups often ocurred in the testing process. Even with
fast connections there was always a danger of long pauses between questions.
That would not only be annoying for the patient but might also have
negative effects on certain type of data (e.g., the effect of long waiting
periods on attention span).
The reason for test delays was often that when someone required the next
question, the entire page had to be reloaded - despite the fact that on
that page only a few words needed to be adjusted. The development of AJAX
has taken away this obstacle. A great advantage of this technology is that
only alter parts of a page need to be reloaded. When a patient now goes to
the next item in a test, AJAX makes sure only that item will be loaded, while
the rest of the screen stays the same. This causes far less Internet traffic
across the connection, making the test more stable and faster.
Like NeuroTask, large dynamic websites like Google Maps, Gmail, Youtube,
Yahoo, and Facebook use AJAX.
Safety
A great advantage of online testing is that the data is not stored on
the clinician's computer—which may be dangerous, such as loss of
data. NeuroTask stores all test data immediately on the servers of Strato,
a company owned by Deutsche Telekom with serers in Karlsruhe and Berlin.
Neurotask has chosen Strato, not only for its
strict safety protocol
but also because the data are stored redundantly.
To ensure that all data arrives safely at the Strato severs, all data
is encrypted through the Secure Sockets Layer (SSL). That implies that
all data entered by a patient or clinician is sent to the servers in
an encrypted manner. It is thus securely protected from outsiders listening in.