KITE+: A Knowledge Integration Platform to Support the Development of Multi-Modal, Large-Scale Data Analytics Applications with Alignment to Modern Data Protection Laws

The management of vast amounts of multi-source, multi-modal data that also ensures compliance with stringent data protection regulations represents a tremendous organizational and technical challenge, particularly in the era of big data, ubiquitous computing technology, data-driven decision making processes, and advanced ML/AI algorithms with voracious data appetite. In this context, this article explores the design, development, and implementation of the multi-modal knowledge integration platform KITE+, conceived as a cloud-native tool for the secure and efficient management of large and complex data sets accessed by a number of geographically distributed entities. KITE+ leverages bulk operations for document management, facilitates data multi-modality via document attachments, and incorporates strong security measures to ensure the adequate administration of sensitive personal data as required by modern data protection laws (such as the California Consumer Privacy Act - CCPA, and the General Data Protection Regulation - GDPR). We delve into the technical requirements that influenced the design of the proposed platform, and discuss the implemented technical measures that ensure alignment with data protection regulations. Finally, through a large-scale data analytics solution in the healthcare domain, we showcase how such a multi-modal database management platform cannot only safeguard personal information but also enable advanced data analytics.