Apple works on integrating an electrocardiograph into its connected watch. The goal would be to fight against life-threatening heart disease. So, with its heart tracking feature, the Apple Watch helps users evaluate their sporting performance. In recent months, it seems that Apple seeks to increase the medical reach of its connected watch. First by measuring its blood glucose level, as revealed by CNBC in the spring, then going further in the analysis of cardiac functions. According to Bloomberg, the firm wants to integrate an electrocardiograph into its product.
ECG Measurements: The next Apple Watch could save your life
Prevent infarction and stroke
Unlike the heart rate monitor, the electrocardiograph is used to perform an electrocardiogram (ECG), a medical examination that records the electrical activity of the heart. It is used to detect heart rhythm disorders, but also heart attacks or strokes. So many conditions that can be life-threatening.
Still, according to Bloomberg, a prototype is in the testing phase. To trigger the measurement, the user should pinch the frame of the watch for a few seconds. The Apple Watch would then send a slight electrical impulse (imperceptible) into his chest to make the measurement. Once this test phase is over, Apple will decide whether to include this new sensor in its watch.
The addition of these new features would be consistent with Apple’s strategy, which recently launched a cardiac program in partnership with Stanford University. In France, cardiovascular disease kills 140,000 people every year. This is the second leading cause of death for men and the first for women.
Source: Bloomberg