New Interview Offers 'Inside Look' at Potential Origin of ResearchKit

[MacRumors]

ResearchKit, Apple's new open-source medical framework, was one of the unexpected announcements during the company's Spring Forward media event. Dr. Stephen Friend, one of the key members of the ResearchKit team, talked about the potential genesis of the project in a new interview with Fusion (via iMore).

In September 2013, nearly one and a half years before ResearchKit was unveiled, Friend was at Stanford's MedX conference giving a talk about the future of medical research. He explained how he envisioned an open source system where users could upload their medical data to the cloud for researchers to use in trials.

Sitting in the audience that day was Michael O'Reilly, M.D., the former Chief Medical Officer and EVP of Medical Affairs at Masimo Corporation, a pulse oximetry company. O'Reilly had just left Masimo to join Apple, and wanted to build something that could "implement Friend's vision of a patient-centered, medical research utopia and radically change the way clinical studies are done."

After Friend's talk, O'Reilly approached the doctor, and, in typical tight-lipped Apple fashion, said: "I can't tell you where I work, and I can't tell you what I do, but I need to talk to you," Friend recalls. Friend was intrigued, and agreed to meet for coffee.

Shortly after his meeting with O'Reilly, Friend started making frequent trips to Apple's HQ in Cupertino, meeting with scientists and engineers. He also organized a DARPA-funded workshop exploring how biosensors could potentially help doctors and scientists understand Parkinson's Disease.

Euan Ashley, a Stanford University investigator behind the myHeart app, told Fusion that Apple largely acted as a "facilitator", building the ResearchKit framework in the background as the researchers designed and built the first ResearchKit apps by themselves. However, Apple did go meet with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration three months before the Spring Forward event to talk about medical research and smooth over any potential regulatory concerns.

Friend noted that even though his open-source ideals didn't totally mesh with Apple's view on open source at the time, he wanted to work with them rather than competitors like Google and Microsoft because Apple is a hardware company that doesn't need to sell data, and that he believed Apple when the company said it wouldn't look at the data being used in ResearchKit.

However, both Apple and Friend decided not to make the true origin of ResearchKit clear to Fusion. It's unknown whether the idea was Friend's or if Apple was developing it before Friend joined the team.

Thus far, ResearchKit has been a success for Apple, receiving thousands of sign-ups less than 24 hours after it was unveiled. In that time frame, 11,000 people signed up for one of the ResearchKit apps, myHeart Counts.

The rest of the interview also provides a good look at ResearchKit and can be read at Fusion's website.

Article Link: New Interview Offers 'Inside Look' at Potential Origin of ResearchKit

 

[stanman64]

in my mac notification center, this popped up as "New Interview Offers 'Inside Look' at Pot"


of course I clicked on it.

 

[MH01]

From what was a damn average keynote, looking back, researchkit was a positive, rhat and the MacBook . I hope apple sticks with it

 

[stu.h]

This can only be a positive thing for patients worldwide.

Go Apple!

 

[2457282]

Nothing in this article is worth the usual sarcastic and cynical treatment here. This is a good thing - open source, free (yes somewhat redudant), no data selling, and helpful to mankind.

I say YEAH!!!

 

[peterh988]

"I can't tell you where I work, and I can't tell you what I do, but I need to talk to you,"

Friend started making frequent trips to Apple's HQ in Cupertino, meeting with scientists and engineers.

Got a mental image of him sitting in the back of a blacked out van with a black hood over his head!

 

[69Mustang]

"I can't tell you where I work, and I can't tell you what I do, but I need to talk to you,"



Got a mental image of him sitting in the back of a blacked out van with a black hood over his head!

When I read that line, I did it in Liam Neeson voice as Bryan Mills from Taken.

Liam: "I can't tell you where I work, and I can't tell you what I do, but I need to talk to you."

Doc: "Okaaaay. What's this about?"

Liam: "I'll contact you later,but know this, what I do have are a very particular set of skills. Skills I have acquired over a very long career. Skills that..."

On topic. This can be a very good thing. Especially if it is truly open source. If it become proprietary it's still a good thing, but less so.

 

[VulchR]

As a researcher, all I can say is that this could be huge. If apple truly opens this up, it could provide high-quality data on a massive scale and a very low cost. Well done Apple!

 

[lincolntran]

ResearchKit is a good example to answer the "what does Apple do with all that cash? Why not just buy [insert company here]?"

ResearchKit doesn't need to sell data or make money but the systems that run it cost a lot of money. This is what the big boy does. Apple doesn't just buy random company just because they can. That's not smart money!

 

[A MacBook lover]

ResearchKit is a good example to answer the "what does Apple do with all that cash? Why not just buy [insert company here]?"

ResearchKit doesn't need to sell data or make money but the systems that run it cost a lot of money. This is what the big boy does. Apple doesn't just buy random company just because they can. That's not smart money!

It's the reason they have a lot of money. They are smart with their spending just as they are with their products

 

[JeffyTheQuik]

From what was a damn average keynote, looking back, researchkit was a positive, rhat and the MacBook . I hope apple sticks with it

This was a "wow" moment for me. I've been in research studies before, and the telemetry of the studies is horrible. It relies on people (me) remembering where they were, what they did, and what the results were when the data was taken.

This makes it far easier, because it puts the responsibility on the doctor team to think this stuff through, rather than the patient trying to figure stuff out.

Here's how it went for the study I was in:
Test blood sugar
Write it down on this piece of paper.
Write down what you ate
Write down what were doing the 3 hours before/after eating
Turn this in at the next appointment, where it's like a doctor appointment, where you wait an hour before being seen, and being told that you're not doing it right.

Here's how I envision Research Kit:
Blood tester and/or CGM is BT enabled, and communicates with app on iPhone, which feeds to Health app, which ResearchKit app can pull from
Activity is tracked (ran 4 miles is more accurately seen as "ran 6.2 mph for 40 minutes")
Eating is a problem, but give the recipients a scale that tracks what they eat (I have one of these, and it attaches to Health app)
It transmits daily to the research doctors.

I see the errors in translation and input going way down, and relevant information going way up.

 

[RawBert]

We may be witnessing the first phase of the future of healthcare. (To Be Determined)
But the real question on everyone's mind is, When will Samsung make its own version?

 

[proyectoalfonso]

Google and Microsoft should also help

I hope they open this so google and microsoft can make this valiable on their phones too. as more as better

 

[Diode]

ResearchKit is a good example to answer the "what does Apple do with all that cash? Why not just buy [insert company here]?"

ResearchKit doesn't need to sell data or make money but the systems that run it cost a lot of money. This is what the big boy does. Apple doesn't just buy random company just because they can. That's not smart money!

And the input devices still cost a lot of money. Remember people still need iPhones to use ResearchKit

 

[MH01]

This was a "wow" moment for me. I've been in research studies before, and the telemetry of the studies is horrible. It relies on people (me) remembering where they were, what they did, and what the results were when the data was taken.

This makes it far easier, because it puts the responsibility on the doctor team to think this stuff through, rather than the patient trying to figure stuff out.

Here's how it went for the study I was in:
Test blood sugar
Write it down on this piece of paper.
Write down what you ate
Write down what were doing the 3 hours before/after eating
Turn this in at the next appointment, where it's like a doctor appointment, where you wait an hour before being seen, and being told that you're not doing it right.

Here's how I envision Research Kit:
Blood tester and/or CGM is BT enabled, and communicates with app on iPhone, which feeds to Health app, which ResearchKit app can pull from
Activity is tracked (ran 4 miles is more accurately seen as "ran 6.2 mph for 40 minutes")
Eating is a problem, but give the recipients a scale that tracks what they eat (I have one of these, and it attaches to Health app)
It transmits daily to the research doctors.

I see the errors in translation and input going way down, and relevant information going way up.

It's awesome to hear from someone in the field of research give thier feedback, thank you . The more I think about it, the researchkit is probably the best thing announced in the keynote, the MacBook , I like, though have reservations about, the watch , I think the novelty factor will fade fast, the Apple TV , not sure why they bothered. I'm hoping the developer community also join in and make what could be a huge improvements in studies a reality.

----------

ResearchKit is a good example to answer the "what does Apple do with all that cash? Why not just buy [insert company here]?"

ResearchKit doesn't need to sell data or make money but the systems that run it cost a lot of money. This is what the big boy does. Apple doesn't just buy random company just because they can. That's not smart money!

Though Apple is aware institutions get funding, some get very big budgets . And as much as apple is doing this to improve humanity , it will also result in a lot of devices sold to these institutions . For me, this is also Apple trying to get a foothold in a sector, supplying the equipment etc. as long as thier gear is upto the demands good on them. Though this is not free, as they say with drugs, the first one is free

 

[kironin]

And the input devices still cost a lot of money. Remember people still need iPhones to use ResearchKit

as long as it works with an iPhone 5c

 

[nooaah]

As a researcher, all I can say is that this could be huge. If apple truly opens this up, it could provide high-quality data on a massive scale and a very low cost. Well done Apple!

As another research in human medical studies, this will be huge. Right now studies are run with pda's or android devices and mainly are used for diary entries. Diaries are self reports of pain scales, quality of life, etc. to have a device that could pull even more data that we only get from the in clinic visits would be amazing. And then the third party hardware we can sync up to do real time remote ecgs one day, pulse ox readings one day, blood glucose today, and alert doctors and investigators in real time regarding adverse events. It's so cool and the possibilities are far greater than Apple is getting credit.

 

[JeffyTheQuik]

It's awesome to hear from someone in the field of research give thier feedback, thank you . The more I think about it, the researchkit is probably the best thing announced in the keynote, the MacBook , I like, though have reservations about, the watch , I think the novelty factor will fade fast, the Apple TV , not sure why they bothered. I'm hoping the developer community also join in and make what could be a huge improvements in studies a reality.

----------

Thank you for the kind words, but I was one of the subjects of the study, but I remember what a pain it was to write all of this stuff down.

I am an engineer, and the human body still amazes me with the complexity, beauty, and flexibility of the design, and no other machine has ever done this: The ability to understand itself and make irrational decisions, like to love, or risk itself for a child, or run into a building to save a puppy.

 

[Starfia]

Potential origin, you say. : )

 

[CFreymarc]

I keep thinking how much of a general medical R&D tax write off Apple will get for making ResearchKit open source and not hard coded for any specific server.

----------

This was a "wow" moment for me. I've been in research studies before, and the telemetry of the studies is horrible. It relies on people (me) remembering where they were, what they did, and what the results were when the data was taken.

This makes it far easier, because it puts the responsibility on the doctor team to think this stuff through, rather than the patient trying to figure stuff out.

Here's how it went for the study I was in:
Test blood sugar
Write it down on this piece of paper.
Write down what you ate
Write down what were doing the 3 hours before/after eating
Turn this in at the next appointment, where it's like a doctor appointment, where you wait an hour before being seen, and being told that you're not doing it right.

Here's how I envision Research Kit:
Blood tester and/or CGM is BT enabled, and communicates with app on iPhone, which feeds to Health app, which ResearchKit app can pull from
Activity is tracked (ran 4 miles is more accurately seen as "ran 6.2 mph for 40 minutes")
Eating is a problem, but give the recipients a scale that tracks what they eat (I have one of these, and it attaches to Health app)
It transmits daily to the research doctors.

I see the errors in translation and input going way down, and relevant information going way up.

Good analogy. However, I see a big generation gap with this technology. There is a lot of research going into geriatrics where introducing an iPhone and other wearable sensors for medical research could confuse the hell out of the user. If this is to be done right, their caregivers need to be trained in this new technology.

----------

as long as it works with an iPhone 5c

You have that right. I'm sure it will as you can upgrade the 5c to the latest iOS release. The 5c is now selling for zero up front and only a contract commitment.

 

[Bigsk8r]

The upside of ResearchKit is huge. I will be very keen to see where this goes, and what data comes out of this long term.

 

[Saucesome2000]

This is another reason I'm seriously bothered by all of the Apple Watch naysayers. People saying this might be a hit among die hard Apple fans and then fizzle out. The ignorance of what the possibilities are with this kind of technology on your wrist is mind boggling.

I call it now that this Watch will help change the future of a few industries.