Apple Watch Series 6 oxygen sensor just as good as hospital equipment
The Apple Watch Series 6 is a "reliable way" to monitor oxygen saturation in patients with lung conditions, according to a University of Sao Paulo study, one that could help in future medical treatments.
The Apple Watch Series 6 introduced a blood oxygen sensor to the wearable device, providing users with more of an idea about their overall fitness. In a study, it seems that Apple's sensor addition could have some serious medical applications.
The study from Brazil's University of Sao Paulo, published in Nature Magazine and spotted by 9to5Mac put the Apple Watch Series 6 against a pair of commercial pulse oximeters. Approximately 100 patients from an outpatient pneumology clinic with interstitial lung disease (ILD) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) were analyzed with the devices.
"Strong positive correlations" were observed between the Apple Watch and the commercial oximeters for evaluating heart rate measurements and oximetry. While the Apple Watch did tend to report higher oximetry figures on average, the study "did not observe significant differences" for both blood oxygen and heart rate figures.
The study concludes "our results indicate that Apple Watch 6 [sic] is a reliable way to obtain heart rate and SPO2 in patients with lung diseases under controlled conditions. The advance of smartwatch technology continues to improve and studies to assess accuracy and reliability in various types of disease should be carried out."
Apple is also conducting its own studies into various medical areas, in partnership with outside organizations. In April, it partnered with the University of Washington and the Seattle Flu Study to see if the Apple Watch could predict illnesses, like the fu, or other respiratory ailments.
In September, Biogen started a study with Apple and UCLA into how the Apple Watch could detect symptoms of neurological diseases, including dementia and depression.
Read on AppleInsider
The Apple Watch Series 6 introduced a blood oxygen sensor to the wearable device, providing users with more of an idea about their overall fitness. In a study, it seems that Apple's sensor addition could have some serious medical applications.
The study from Brazil's University of Sao Paulo, published in Nature Magazine and spotted by 9to5Mac put the Apple Watch Series 6 against a pair of commercial pulse oximeters. Approximately 100 patients from an outpatient pneumology clinic with interstitial lung disease (ILD) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) were analyzed with the devices.
"Strong positive correlations" were observed between the Apple Watch and the commercial oximeters for evaluating heart rate measurements and oximetry. While the Apple Watch did tend to report higher oximetry figures on average, the study "did not observe significant differences" for both blood oxygen and heart rate figures.
The study concludes "our results indicate that Apple Watch 6 [sic] is a reliable way to obtain heart rate and SPO2 in patients with lung diseases under controlled conditions. The advance of smartwatch technology continues to improve and studies to assess accuracy and reliability in various types of disease should be carried out."
Apple is also conducting its own studies into various medical areas, in partnership with outside organizations. In April, it partnered with the University of Washington and the Seattle Flu Study to see if the Apple Watch could predict illnesses, like the fu, or other respiratory ailments.
In September, Biogen started a study with Apple and UCLA into how the Apple Watch could detect symptoms of neurological diseases, including dementia and depression.
Read on AppleInsider
Comments
Who knew AppleWatch would be instrumental in fu-fighting?
"Magnetic Resonance Imaging is a non-invasive imaging technology that produces three dimensional detailed anatomical images. It is often used for disease detection, diagnosis, and treatment monitoring. It is based on sophisticated technology that excites and detects the change in the direction of the rotational axis of protons found in the water that makes up living tissues."
"How does MRI work?"
"MRIs employ powerful magnets which produce a strong magnetic field that forces protons in the body to align with that field. When a radiofrequency current is then pulsed through the patient, the protons are stimulated, and spin out of equilibrium, straining against the pull of the magnetic field. When the radiofrequency field is turned off, the MRI sensors are able to detect the energy released as the protons realign with the magnetic field. The time it takes for the protons to realign with the magnetic field, as well as the amount of energy released, changes depending on the environment and the chemical nature of the molecules. Physicians are able to tell the difference between various types of tissues based on these magnetic properties.
To obtain an MRI image, a patient is placed inside a large magnet and must remain very still during the imaging process in order not to blur the image. Contrast agents (often containing the element Gadolinium) may be given to a patient intravenously before or during the MRI to increase the speed at which protons realign with the magnetic field. The faster the protons realign, the brighter the image."
I'm guessing that the Physics alone of this technology is pretty niche, even for "Google X" type tech incubators.
Huawei smartwatch seem more accurate, cost as cheap as $30 and you get a smartwatch with oxygen sensor function and lots of other functions, a very good buy.
It may be also a question of how tight the watch sits, if it gets shifted due to sleeping position, or possibly if by how one sleeps, blood circulation to the arm is restricted?
Don’t know, I’m supposedly healthy and my readings are all over…
Or specifically in the medical industry, check out the THERAC-25. That was a radiotherapy machine which killed people because the manufacturer had removed hardware safety interlocks in favor of cheaper software, but the software was written poorly.
Modern software development practices used by the overwhelming majority of tech companies (especially Google) are incapable of producing software suitable for use in safety-critical applications.
"Hey! Dumbshit! You forgot your phone! It's on the Montour Trail"
(See, I can occasionally agree with you?)