Apple begins wide collection of Apple Watch data for Heart Study

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in Apple Watch edited February 2018
Apple this week began collecting heart rate data from a wide number of Apple Watch owners who signed up to participate in a heart study being conducted in cooperation with Stanford Health.




The company is currently sending out push notifications to Apple Watch owners who opted in to the Apple Heart Study in November, notifying them that the project is underway.

Tapping on the notification opens the Heart Study app, which directs users to verify participation requirements including the ability to communicate in English. Users with certain pre-existing heart conditions like atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter, as well as those taking prescription anticoagulant medications, are not eligible to participate in the study.

Once a user confirms that they meet the specified requirements, Apple sends out a pair of emails containing an informed consent document and information regarding HIPAA rights and regulations.

Officially called the "Apple Heart Study: Assessment of Wristwatch-Based Photoplethysmography to Identify Cardiac Arrhythmias," Apple announced the research initiative during last year's Apple Watch Series 3 unveiling. The collaborative project is designed to further ongoing efforts in the health sciences market.

As noted by mobiHealthNews, Apple's documentation suggests data from the study will be used to develop new product technologies.

"This study is part of the development of a new investigational device and certain Study Data will be used for FDA submission to seek approval of the investigational device," one of the documents reads.

Whether the device in question is under development at Apple or Stanford is unknown. Alternatively, the document might be hinting at Apple's intent to seek FDA approval to market Apple Watch, or future versions of the wearable, as a medical device.

The study relies on Apple Watch's specialized heart rate sensor and a dedicated app to collect data that can be used to identify irregular heart rhythms. If a study participant displays abnormal heart activity, they receive a notification on their Apple Watch and iPhone, a free consultation with a study doctor and an electrocardiogram peripheral for additional monitoring.

The Apple Heart Study app is available to users aged 22 and above in the U.S. An Apple Watch Series 1 or later is required to participate in the study.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 12
    Actually, Apple has been collecting this data for weeks now. 
    edited February 2018
    redsnowdropStrangeDaysjony0
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  • Reply 2 of 12
    yep, me too.
    I'm on 51 days in study, with 308 contributions

    redsnowdrop
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  • Reply 3 of 12
    I'm curious what triggers a "contribution"? I've been on it for 8 days now averaging 10 contributions per day. Doesn't really seem to have more contributions when exercising like it implies it would. Any thoughts?
    watto_cobra
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  • Reply 4 of 12
    Solisoli Posts: 10,038member
    [image]

    Actually, Apple has been collecting this data for weeks now. 
    The wording can be interpreting multiple ways. The number of days the study has been recording Watch data doesn't mean that's when Apple started collecting the data.

    I'm at 52 days in study with 374 contributions, BTW.
    lolliver
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  • Reply 5 of 12
    Solisoli Posts: 10,038member
    macmarcus said:
    I'm curious what triggers a "contribution"? I've been on it for 8 days now averaging 10 contributions per day. Doesn't really seem to have more contributions when exercising like it implies it would. Any thoughts?
    Not a clue. I'm averaging 7.2 contributions a day and I wear my Watch when I sleep, too.
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  • Reply 6 of 12
    I’m on 61 days, 254 contributions so far now. I didn’t realize they were limiting users. 
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  • Reply 7 of 12
    Don't have the watch yet as I was thinking that there will be a new one in September that will move deeper into the medical area.  Now it looks like joining the study will have a closing date of August.  Hopefully Apple will work with Stanford to extend enrollment until the new watch is out.  BTW, I'm also interested in the potential of working with blood sugars.  Tim Cook indicated he was using something that helped him drop 30 pounds, but took it off for the Keynote speech.  As a diabetic that could be critical for me in a purchase decision.
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  • Reply 8 of 12
    StrangeDaysstrangedays Posts: 13,142member
    i had signed up previously but evidently it didn’t take, always just showed “Thank you” and that was it. or maybe was lost with the new phone...just signed up again and now i get the screen as above. 
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  • Reply 9 of 12
    I’m in Canada and would love to participate. I wear my Watch every day. 
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  • Reply 10 of 12
    jax44jax44 Posts: 79member
    61 days and 554 contributions here.
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  • Reply 11 of 12
    macguimacgui Posts: 2,510member
    54/351 here.
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  • Reply 12 of 12
    macguimacgui Posts: 2,510member
    I signed up a day or two after the release. Given the number of Watches out there I can see limiting the number involved in the study.

    I'd like to know how many participants Apple has, and if they'll keep us or rotate to get fresh meat.

    And a unique Watch band for us would be nice, though it might mar our altruistic, humanitarian efforts. I could live with that LOL!
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