We are enrolling persons aged 40 years and over, with and without type 2 diabetes. Although type 2 diabetes can occur at any age, most people are diagnosed after the age of 40. People without diabetes are also eligible to participate in AI-READI. You received a personalized letter because you have been identified as a person who is eligible for participation.

Type 2 diabetes has implications on many aspects of your health - and your life in general. There is no cure for type 2 diabetes and we want to take steps toward finding treatments. The AI-READI study aims to help people with type 2 diabetes by conducting a large survey and testing a diverse group of people with and without diabetes. The data collected will be analyzed by scientists with the help of machine learning and artificial intelligence to gain a deeper understanding of the physiological complications of the disease. By refining our methods of controlling diabetes, we hope to identify pathways and opportunities for a cure, ultimately improving the quality of life for individuals with type 2 diabetes. The AI-READI study has the potential to help people with type 2 diabetes return to happier and healthier lives.

We are studying many features of health and everyday life that can be impacted by, or contribute to, type 2 diabetes. These include your health history, medications you may be taking, physical activity, lifestyle characteristics, vision, memory and thinking, blood chemistry, and heart health.

You will be asked to complete some questionnaires at your convenience prior to visiting us. The questionnaires may be completed on a computer, tablet, or smartphone, but we also have other options if you are unable to complete the questionnaires electronically (contact us using the information above and we will help you!). At your in-person visit with us, the first half may feel like a routine wellness exam. We will take your vital signs, check your heart function by performing a quick electrocardiogram (ECG), test your nerve response to light touch, take a blood sample, and test your vision. We will also take pictures of your eyes.

Participation in this study also involves an at-home component. Before you leave our office, we will give you a “take-home kit” that includes a continuous glucose monitor (aka. CGM), a physical activity monitor (Apple watch designed for research), and an environmental sensor. The CGM and physical activity monitor will need to be worn for 10 days to collect information about how your glucose levels change during your daily activities, how much time you spend walking, sitting, sleeping, or exercising, your heart rate, and the oxygen level in your blood. The environmental sensor will need to be placed in your residence for 10 days and will collect information on the air, light, temperature, and particles in your home. These devices do not have cameras or a microphone. They cannot collect any videos, photographs, or sound recordings from your home. After the 10-day monitoring period is complete, we will ask you to return the devices using the box and prepaid shipping label provided to you. Once we receive the devices back from you, your participation is complete.

This study is voluntary and will not impact any healthcare you receive.

For most people, the in-person visit will last between 3 ½ and 4 hours, but the exact timing will vary. If you feel weary during the visit, we can always take a break! We also have snacks if you feel hungry. Your parking will be free of charge in a parking area at or very near our facility. You will wear and use the monitors for 10 days total before sending them back to us.

Data obtained from you in AI-READI will be collected responsibly, fairly, and ethically. You are participating in an anonymous fashion with respect to the information contained in the study. None of your identifying characteristics such as your name, address, phone number, email or any other identifying characteristic will be included in the publicly available dataset that will be used by scientists for analysis. The only identifying information that will be released is the whole genome sequencing (genetic information), this will be released in a limited dataset that will be available by application only.

As a token of our appreciation, we will provide you with a stipend of $125 after you complete the study visit, questionnaires, and have returned the monitoring devices to us. Progress in scientific knowledge cannot happen without volunteers like you!

The AI-READI study is being specifically designed for researchers who develop technologies that identify patterns, trends, and relationships in data. The goal is to develop a deeper understanding of the risk factors, causes, and consequences of type 2 diabetes. Researchers will be using artificial intelligence approaches to do this, which is why it is so important to make sure that the data they analyze is inclusive and better represents the diversity of people afflicted with the disease. The goal of these analyses is to identify solutions for complex challenges in type 2 diabetes. The data will be made available to researchers from around the world who are seeking to help resolve the complexities of type 2 diabetes. The researchers will NOT have access to your personally identifying information. Your whole genome sequencing (genetic information) will only be available to researchers who apply and are approved by a review panel.

The AI-READI project is one of several projects funded under the NIH's Bridge to Artificial Intelligence (Bridge2AI) initiative. The goal of Bridge2AI is to advance the use of new artificial intelligence technologies in solving real-world problems in medicine, and doing so in a manner that is ethical and inclusive.

Machine learning is a type of artificial intelligence that involves training computers to learn from data and make predictions or decisions based on that learning. In the context of health research, machine learning can be used to analyze large amounts of data collected from individuals who have participated in studies. This data may include information about medical history, lifestyle factors, genetic information, and other health-related details. By analyzing this data using machine learning, researchers can identify patterns and relationships that may not be immediately apparent to the human eye. For example, machine learning algorithms may be able to identify risk factors for certain diseases or conditions, or predict the effectiveness of different treatments for specific individuals based on their unique characteristics.

The protection of your privacy and personal information is one of our highest priorities. Only a small number of the study staff will have access to personal information such as your name, birthdate and phone number. A random participant ID will be generated for the data collected from your participation. We will remove any information that can potentially be traced back to you.

For your blood, we will first run a few tests similar to what they do at your physician's office, such as A1c and a lipid analysis. Some of the blood will be put into a “library” for scientists to access; one of the future uses for this library may be gene sequencing. Your urine sample will be used to look at kidney function and any remaining urine will be disposed of.

Yes, if you have changed your mind about participation, you may contact us to withdraw your consent. Please note, however, that any data we have collected until that time will not be able to be withdrawn from our database; this is because of the way we de-identify and store them.

We are interested in learning how the specifics about the environment you live in may affect your health. The sensor will collect light levels, quality of air, and temperature. Again, we respect you and your family's privacy and boundaries; we will only record the factors listed above, and no photography or audio recording is possible with the sensor. They are designed and built without these capabilities.

Providers with access to your electronic health records may be able to see your enrollment in our study; however, they will not be able to see your results unless you send it to them. Your participation or refusal of participation will not influence the quality of care you receive at UW Medicine/UCSD Health/UAB Medicine.

At the end of the study visit, you will receive a personalized code/link. This code is only for you. Within one year of the visit, you will be able to access some of your results from your research visit, including your vitals, vision test, and urine and blood testing. Most of the results returned to you are intended for physician use only, and although we cannot provide medical guidance about your results, we encourage you to discuss them with your primary care provider.

Please let us know if you are not comfortable with any of the tests, and we can stop and talk about your options. You will be given the option to not answer questions in questionnaires that make you uncomfortable. However, some components of the study are essential, meaning we cannot complete a visit without them; in that case, we can withdraw you from the study if you choose not to continue.

If you received an invitation letter in the mail but lost your personalized link, click here to contact us so we can get you to the right place. You may also call us at a number listed above for a site that is local to you.

Our study team is happy to answer any questions you have. Please use the personalized link provided in the invitation letter or email we sent you to take you to our study interface. There will be an option to have a staff person call you to answer your questions. We also welcome your call or email! The phone numbers and email addresses for each of our study sites are listed above. We'd enjoy giving you any additional information on AI-READI. We hope to hear from you!