Key Takeaways
1. The Pixel Watch 3 will introduce the Loss of Pulse detection feature in the U.S. by the end of March 2024, following FDA approval.
2. This feature can detect if the heart has stopped due to various medical emergencies and will alert emergency services if the user does not respond to a notification.
3. Loss of Pulse detection enhances existing safety features on the Pixel Watch 3, including Car Crash Detection and Fall Detection, and is available on an opt-in basis.
4. The technology uses sensors, signal-processing algorithms, and AI to assess pulse presence and determine if a loss of pulse event has occurred.
5. If the user fails to respond to alerts, the watch can trigger an audio alarm, initiate a countdown, and call emergency services with the user’s location.
About six months after it was first announced during the Made by Google event, the Pixel Watch 3 is finally set to introduce the Loss of Pulse detection feature in the United States. The tech giant has confirmed that it has received the green light from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and users can expect this feature to be available by the end of March. Since its announcement in 2024, Loss of Pulse detection has already been rolled out in 14 other countries.
Unique Life-Saving Technology
Google claims that the Loss of Pulse feature is a groundbreaking addition that can identify if the heart has stopped beating due to cardiac arrest, respiratory failure, circulatory failure, overdose, or poisoning. In such cases, it can alert emergency services for quick, potentially life-saving intervention. Initially, the feature will send a notification to the user, asking if they are okay. If the user does not reply, emergency services will be notified automatically.
Enhanced Safety Features
The Loss of Pulse detection will complement the existing health and safety functionalities of the Pixel Watch 3, which already includes Car Crash Detection, an ECG app, Safety Check, notifications for irregular heart rhythms, and Fall Detection. This feature will be available for users of the Pixel Watch 3 on an opt-in basis.
How It Works
The Loss of Pulse detection operates by utilizing the smartwatch’s sensors, sophisticated signal-processing algorithms, and artificial intelligence to determine if a pulse is present. Initially, if the Heart Rate sensor, which utilizes green light, fails to detect a pulse, the infrared and red lights activate to search for other signs of a pulse. Simultaneously, the motion sensor looks for any indication of movement. Based on these findings, the AI algorithm assesses whether a loss of pulse event has occurred and sends out a check-in notification. If there is still no response, the watch will activate an audio alarm and begin a countdown. Should there still be no reply, the watch can use the paired phone (in the case of the non-LTE model) to call emergency services, providing them with the user’s location.
Source:
Link
