A method includes receiving, by a mobile device, a notification, executing, in response to receiving the notification, a data collection application over a time interval, and requesting, by the data collection application, sensor measurements from an operating system of the mobile device. The sensor measurements are collected prior to receiving the notification and before execution of the data collection application. The method also includes receiving, by the data collection application and from the operating system, a set of sensor measurements and transmitting, by the data collection application, the sensor measurements to a server during the time interval. The data collection application terminates upon expiration of the time interval.