I enjoyed the post very much. Just out of curiosity, though, why did you choose not to capitalize any words?
A Personal API
61–70 of 119 posts
Re: A Personal API
#62I have been working on an open source version of this idea: http://www.quantify.io Right now, things are fairly sparse. You can check the repo out here: https://github.com/jdjkelly/bodyimage An open source Rails API to track "quantified self" data. Right now, the hardware companies in this space are storing your data in closed systems. Let's change that. Take the Withings WiFi scale or the FitBit, for example. Both a…
this goes very deep; i like it. i'll drop you a note soon.
Re: A Personal API
#63I work for a non-profit called Open mHealth. We are working to build an open architecture around health data from mobile apps and devices. The basic idea is that existing applications can have their own proprietary way of getting data into their systems, and we want to evolve a standard way of getting data out of these systems. We are developing an API specification around this. https://github.com/openmhealth/developer/wiki
Once app developers adopt the Open mHealth approach, much of the work of getting data out of these silo'ed apps will be done. This is important because the real value of this data comes about when the streams are combined to be analyzed and visualized.
I am posting here because many of the issues outlined in this thread and in the original post are things we are actively trying to solve.
Re: A Personal API
#64The prisoner forging his own chains.
Re: A Personal API
#65This is great! I would love to hear some device recommendations. Fitbit, Fuelband, or Jawbone? Withings scale or fitbit scale?
i own them all and have tried each one on and off for the last couple of years. i like each one in its own way (and, also, am friends with guys at each place)
if you're just getting started and you aim to keep it light, then i'd start with the withings scale. you leave it in your bathroom, set your goals, step on it when you feel like it and watch trends and alerts from time to time. i find my weight tells me more about me over time than many other metrics: it shows my bad weeks from my good and, in indirect ways, shows when i stress out and get bad sleep (and therefore, end up eating poorly and exercising inconsistently)
Re: A Personal API
#66I like the approach you're taking Naveen. I do wonder whether individual, disparate data steams have any value, or whether its a case of the sum of the parts is less than the whole, so to speak (along with concerns like security, etc etc that others have raised), but the concept is intriguing. Will be watching / following.
Re: A Personal API
#67Interesting. I think the real challenge behind this though, is not the API itself, but that for it to be really useful there has to be some sort of semi-automated form of data collection, that can be generally applied. Relevant: http://blog.stephenwolfram.com/2012/03/the-personal-analytic...
you're totally right this is why i believe a smart scale is one of the best examples of good data tracking: you step on it whenever you think of it (not on some weird schedule; nor do you have to wear it or take it with you). it does the mundane stuff of capturing the data and sending it to the cloud, which you would otherwise have to write into some notebook. if it's a system that's fully automated though, one might…
Ooh, we have a solution to that problem (losing interest in collecting it if it's fully automated). Assuming you're collecting data that you want to change, like, for many people, their weight, or, say, how much time you spend on Hacker News: http://beeminder.com/d/hn
Namely, set up a commitment device that forces you to keep your datapoints on a path to some goal. That's what Beeminder does.
Re: A Personal API
#68Had a similar idea before but looked at it as more of a decentralized social platform where everyone hosts his own node with all personal information (maybe even locally on a personal device). Kind of like a virtual avatar that could connect and create a real social layer for the web, one that we could control and trust. Technically this should be pretty easy to create, nothing to fancy here. However standardizing and major real world adoption seems to be pipe dream (look at all the failed attempts like diaspora, etc.).
Re: A Personal API
#69One day we will own our own node. Where we have control over everything, what we want to share with whom and why.
All we need is a place for storage and we add services like apps. With ipv6 around the corner everyone will get his personal ip attached anyway so we can build upon that.
Many of us have this idea but no one made a breakthrough so far but it will emerge. We have not figured it out quite yet we have the technologie but we need to get the idea of how we glue everything together.
I will look forward to the day when i pay a certain amount of money per year to have my own node without being the product of some megacorp thats only interested in quarter performance.
Re: A Personal API
#70Nice! I like the idea of keeping all the data about me at one place. Given that so many companies are entering the wearable gadgets and personal fitness space, we will surely see some "Personal Portal" and the company making tons of money selling your personal data or showing "relevant" ads for you.