Using the Apple Watch to Predict Covid 19

[WatchSmarty]

Came across this article which found that they could predict Covid 19 by tracking changes in heart rate variability (HRV) with the Apple Watch and a special app. Seems like a great use case.

Mount Sinai Researchers Use Apple Watch to Predict COVID-19 | Mount Sinai Today

health.mountsinai.org

 

[smartwatchfanatic]

Interesting stuff. Wonder if they will add that feature to the Apple Watch app. Seems like it could be quite useful. I am impressed with the Apple Watch 6 health features even though it is not a medical device.

 

[GettingFit]

Wonder if Fitbit will pick this up. I have a Sense so would imagine the hardware is there to support this. Just need to incorporate this into the app.

 

[Compter]

As these watches get more advanced, they will be predicting all kinds of illnesses in the future. Medical grade devices might be the next focus.

 

[WatchSmarty]

NASA is doing a pilot with Fitbit with Charge 4 devices to try to predict infectious diseases like Covid. Pilot covers 1,000 employees including 150 astronauts.

NASA Makes Fitbit Ready for Work Solution Available to Support Health and Safety of Astronauts and Other Mission Critical Employees During COVID-19 Pandemic

Pilot program aims to use Fitbit in-app daily check-in and symptom logging to help NASA employees prevent the spread of COVID-19 Fitbit announced today that NASA is offering a Fitbit device and its Ready for Work solution as part of a pilot program to help employees make more informed decisions...

investor.fitbit.com

 

[WatchSmarty]

Also the full scientific study from the Mount Sinai researchers can be found here:

JMIR Preprints #26107: Physiological Data from a Wearable Device Identifies SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Symptoms and Predicts COVID-19 Diagnosis: Observational Study

preprints.jmir.org

 

[babylon]

These watches are getting pretty sophisticated!

 

[WatchSmarty]

Here is another Apple Respiratory Study that is looking for participants to see if the Apple Watch can detect early signs of respiratory illnesses like COVID-19. Only open to people in Seattle but definitely an interesting use case for smartwatches.

Apple Respiratory Study

seattleflu.org

 

[WatchSmarty]

Another approach to detect COVID using a smartwatch. This uses sweat sensors to identify "cytokine storms" which happen early on in an inflammatory illness like COVID.

Sweat sensor could alert doctors, patients to looming COVID cytokine storm (video) - American Chemical Society

Today, scientists report preliminary results on a sweat sensor that acts as an early warning system for an impending cytokine storm, which could help doctors more effectively treat patients.

www.acs.org