Personalized Machine Learning using Passive Sensing and Ecological Momentary Assessments for Meth Users in Hawaii: A Research Protocol (Preprint)

Abstract

Artificial intelligence (AI)-powered digital therapies which detect meth cravings delivered on consumer devices have the potential to reduce these disparities by providing remote and accessible care solutions to Native Hawaiians, Filipinos, and Pacific Islanders (NHFPI) communities with limited care solutions. However, NHFPI are fully understudied with respect to digital therapeutics and AI health sensing despite using technology at the same rates as other races.

We seek to fulfill two research aims: (1) Understand the feasibility of continuous remote digital monitoring and ecological momentary assessments (EMAs) in NHFPI in Hawaii by curating a novel dataset of longitudinal FitBit biosignals with corresponding craving and substance use labels. (2) Develop personalized AI models which predict meth craving events in real time using wearable sensor data.

We will develop personalized AI/ML (artificial intelligence/machine learning) models for meth use and craving prediction in 40 NHFPI individuals by curating a novel dataset of real-time FitBit biosensor readings and corresponding participant annotations (i.e., raw self-reported substance use data) of their meth use and cravings. In the process of collecting this dataset, we will glean insights about cultural and other human factors which can challenge the proper acquisition of precise annotations. With the resulting dataset, we will employ self-supervised learning (SSL) AI approaches, which are a new family of ML methods that allow a neural network to be trained without labels by being optimized to make predictions about the data itself. The inputs to the proposed AI models are FitBit biosensor readings and the outputs are predictions of meth use or craving. This paradigm is gaining increased attention in AI for healthcare.

This protocol was approved by the University of Hawaii Institutional Review Board (IRB) under protocol #2022-01030. Additionally, this study has received further scrutiny and approval via the University of Hawaii’s Data Governance Process under request #230410-3.

We expect to develop models which significantly outperform traditional supervised methods by fine-tuning to an individual subject’s data. Such methods will enable AI solutions which work with the limited data available from NHFPI populations and which are inherently unbiased due to their personalized nature. Such models can support future AI-powered digital therapeutics for substance abuse.