Methods and systems for initiating and conducting a customized computer-enabled brain research study

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11515014-B2
Application number	US-202117176321-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 16, 2021
Priority date	Feb 21, 2020
Publication date	Nov 29, 2022
Grant date	Nov 29, 2022

Abstract

An illustrative research support computing system maintains subject data representative of attributes for research subjects included in a potential subject pool for potential research studies. The system receives, from a client device, an input dataset representative of: 1) a set of parameters defining a research study to be conducted with respect to a research subject group, and 2) a set of criteria for research subjects that are to be included in the research subject group. The system designates a research subject included in the potential subject pool for inclusion in the research subject group based on the set of criteria, and receives research data detected for the research subject in accordance with the set of parameters. The system also provides an output dataset generated based on the research data detected for the research subject in accordance with the set of parameters. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
maintaining, by a research support computing system, subject data representative of respective sets of attributes for a plurality of research subjects included in a potential subject pool for potential research studies;
receiving, by the research support computing system from a client device, an input dataset that the client device receives from a brain researcher using the client device, the input dataset representative of:
a set of parameters defining a brain research study to be conducted with respect to a research subject group, and
a set of criteria for research subjects that are to be included in the research subject group;

designating, by the research support computing system based on the set of criteria and the subject data, a research subject included in the potential subject pool for inclusion in the research subject group;
receiving, by the research support computing system from a brain interface system used by the research subject designated for inclusion in the research subject group, research data detected for the research subject in accordance with the set of parameters, wherein:
the brain interface system is a non-invasive, optical-based brain interface system comprising a wearable module assembly that includes a plurality of modules configured to detect the research data when the wearable module assembly is worn on a head of the research subject,
each module of the plurality of modules is housed in a separate respective housing and is removably attached to the wearable module assembly so as to be capable of being changed out with other modules and moved relative to other modules, and
each module of the plurality of modules includes a light source and a plurality of photodetectors each configured to detect photons generated by the light source after the photons are scattered by a target within a brain of the research subject; and

providing, by the research support computing system, an output dataset generated based on the research data detected for the research subject in accordance with the set of parameters.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing, by the research support computing system, a computer interface that includes a graphical user interface including:
a first graphical element configured for use by the brain researcher to input a parameter of the set of parameters defining the brain research study;
a second graphical element configured for use by the brain researcher to input a first criterium associated with a demographic attribute for the research subjects that are to be included in the research subject group; and
a third graphical element configured for use by the brain researcher to input a second criterium associated with an experience-related attribute indicating a particular industry of current or past employment for the research subjects that are to be included in the research subject group.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein:
the parameter that is input using the first graphical element defines an aspect of an experimental design of the brain research study;
the first criterium associated with the demographic attribute and that is input using the second graphical element defines at least one of a gender, an age range, an ethnicity, a nationality, or a geography of residence that is to characterize each research subject designated for inclusion in the research subject group; and
the graphical user interface further includes a fourth graphical element configured for use by the brain researcher to input an additional criterium of the set of criteria, the additional criterium defining an additional attribute that is not to characterize any research subject designated for inclusion in the research subject group.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the graphical user interface further includes a fourth graphical element configured to output, for display to the brain researcher, status data indicative of a current status of the brain research study.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing, by the research support computing system, a computer interface that includes at least one of an application programming interface (API) or a software development kit (SDK).

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the designating of the research subject for inclusion in the research subject group includes:
determining that the research subject satisfies the set of criteria;
transmitting, based on the determining that the research subject satisfies the set of criteria, data representative of a study participation offer to a subject device used by the research subject;
receiving, subsequent to the transmitting of the data representative of the study participation offer, data representative of a study participation acceptance from the subject device; and
selecting, in response to the receiving of the data representative of the study participation offer, the research subject for inclusion in the research subject group.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the designating of the research subject for inclusion in the research subject group includes:
determining that the research subject satisfies the set of criteria;
selecting, based on the determining that the research subject satisfies the set of criteria, the research subject for inclusion in the research subject group; and
transmitting, based on the selecting of the research subject, data representative of a study participation assignment to a subject device used by the research subject.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising automatically facilitating, by the research support computing system based on the set of parameters received in the input dataset, a regulatory approval process associated with the brain research study.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the automatic facilitating of the regulatory approval process includes:
determining that preapproval for research studies characterized by the set of parameters defining the brain research study has already been obtained; and
providing, to the client device based on the determining that the preapproval has already been obtained, an indication of regulatory approval for the brain research study.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the automatic facilitating of the regulatory approval process includes:
determining that preapproval for research studies characterized by the set of parameters defining the brain research study has not yet been obtained;
preparing, based on the set of parameters defining the brain research study and based on the determining that the preapproval has not yet been obtained, an application configured to be submitted as part of the regulatory approval process; and
providing, to the client device, data representative of the prepared application configured to be submitted as part of the regulatory approval process.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the automatic facilitating of the regulatory approval process includes:
determining that preapproval for research studies characterized by the set of parameters defining the brain research study has not yet been obtained;
preparing, based on the set of parameters defining the brain research study and based on the determining that the preapproval has not yet been obtained, an application configured to be submitted as part of the regulatory approval process; and
submitting, to a computing system associated with a regulatory approval authority, data representative of the prepared application.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the output dataset is provided to the client device and includes the research data detected for the research subject in an unprocessed form configured to allow

Assignees

• Hi Llc

Inventors

• Katnani Husam
• Lara Antonio H
• Ojeda Alejandro
• Dubois Julien
• Rojkova Viktoria
• Johnson Bryan
• Lerner Gabriel

Classifications

• G06Q50/22

  Social work or social welfare, e.g. community support activities or counselling services · CPC title

• G06Q30/018

  Certifying business or products · CPC title

• G16H40/20 Primary

  for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms · CPC title

• G16H10/20 Primary

  for electronic clinical trials or questionnaires · CPC title

• G16H80/00

  ICT specially adapted for facilitating communication between medical practitioners or patients, e.g. for collaborative diagnosis, therapy or health monitoring · CPC title