Detalytics: nobody in the world is average

Detalytics has developed proprietary algorithms that can make people better understand what their body is telling them. Many solutions that are now being built are based on averages, but that might not be right for you.

“Detalytics is a data analytics company, as simple as that. We take data, analyze it and present the results. Most companies work with big data, and they try to do data mining. We look for very specific human data collected by measuring physical activity, heart rate in rest and sleep patterns. Based on these three things, our algorithms then calculate a score, which tells you how you feel and why,” explains Alain Bicqué, CEO of Detalytics.

“If you download our app, you will get a score. But it will take at least a week before this score becomes meaningful. Afterwards it becomes more and more accurate, so in a way, we are not so much interested in big data – we are more interested in very personal, small data. In theory, every heartbeat is a data point. We have about 16 propriety algorithms at the moment. When you combine those algorithms, you get different scores.  We call the overall score the life impact score, which means that you will get insights about what your lifestyle means to you and what it does to your body. We can also calculate, for example, the fatigue score, the work readiness score, and the physical activity  score,” explains Bicqué.

Serving the individual

Bicqué points out that the app is primarily meant for the individual. Furthermore, there are some principles Detalytics will not compromise on: “We will never sell the data to anybody. We also will not share the data unless the individual has given full consent, and then we will only share what is necessary. The data is not commercialized.”

Companies can also use services from Detalytics. The company always starts with the individual point of view, but it is possible to get a cohort score as well. “For example, we can calculate how work-ready people are – in shift work this is important because it might not be safe for someone to do the work. That is the case with risky, high-profile positions like those held by pilots or medical doctors. If they make a mistake, the consequences can be devastating. Fewer mistakes, better work, more precise work and so on,” he stresses.

“Then the lifestyle aspect comes in. Some people don’t see the immediate consequences, but the long-term consequences can be quite severe. We are making sure that people understand that. For example, one of the things we can do is link your lifestyle to your mental health problems, which is a big issue in many companies. Also, burnout, depression – you can identify them by what your body is telling you.

One of the fundamental things that we are changing is that nobody in the world is average anymore. Everyone has their own personalized information, so based on that, you can build very personalized services. Now, most models are built around the average. Regulations are built around averages and the insurance industry, for example, is completely built around averages. We can personalize everything and make sure there is an individual aspect to everything,” he adds.

Endless applications

 Detalytics does not have many competitors. “We are one of the very few companies who collect data with the individual as a starting point. Most companies, unfortunately, use the data they get from you to perform data mining and try to sell you products or services that you may or may not want. They use your own data against you, that is not what we want. We are much more holistic, we look at the person and the real context,” says Bicqué.

“The target group is always individuals, but our distribution channels at this point are companies or affinity groups. The applications are endless – we can also collect data for long shift workers, mainly focusing on the mental health and productivity of companies from the human point of view. We have also developed a jetlag manager, which results in an affinity group of travelers. When you are travelling and don’t want to be tired when you get off the plane, there are some things you need to do before and after. We work together with airlines so they can give this extra service to their passengers,” he explains.

In the session “Building on data in health tech” at Estonia’s largest technology conference Latitude59, Bicqué stressed that our data belongs to us and we should make data owners aware of the situation with their data: “That is something we strongly believe in. That is one of the reasons I came to Estonia. The way you share and keep your data is an important aspect because when you don’t have the option to share the little part you want to share and you have to share almost everything to make sure you get a service you need, that is a situation that requires improvement. We need a system where everything is segmented and you can actually choose the data that you want to share. That is a bit of a challenge at this moment, but I think we can meet it. It will be necessary from a regulatory point of view to do it this way in the future. It is more a technical thing, but maybe blockchain is a solution or at least a partial solution. Then you will be able to track where your data is going to and who is sharing it with who and how it is used.”

Present solutions are built on averages

“You really start to understand the impact of how what you do affects your body. For example, I understand better what sleep or lack of sleep does to me. Everyone has a circadian rhythm, and if you try to fool your rhythm, you will pay a price.

You change your lifestyle, not in a very radical way, but take steps in the right direction. It influences the way you look at your actions. That has changed for me. There is nothing you can do about your heart rate, but if you monitor it and get details about it, you understand much better what your body is telling you. You understand better how the choices you make in your life affect your health, and that is the main thing. You still have many options, but you can never say ‘I didn’t know’ because you do and have to live with the consequences,” Bicqué says.

“Our bodies send us so many messages that we don’t understand yet, but at least we can start somewhere. That is what I mean by saying you’re not average, because the solutions that are now being built are based on averages. That might not be right for you,” he adds.

“We provide a foundation, but we don’t offer all the solutions. What we are really looking for is people to partner with us to find the right solutions for what we see is a problem. Then we must create an ecosystem that is able to deliver the solutions. Partnerships and building that ecosystem are very important to us,” he sums up.