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The Apple Watch can help treat a key symptom of sickle cell disease and changes to Apple's speech recognition algorithm could help people with a stutter, new studies propose.

apple-watch-series-6-product-red-back.jpg

According to a study conducted by researchers at Duke University's Day Hospital (via MyHealthyApple), the Apple Watch could help treat vaso-occlusive crises (VOCs), a key complication caused by sickle cell disease that often hospitalizes patients due to severe pain. The research indicates that machine learning using the Apple Watch's collected health data can discover trends to predict pain among people with sickle cell disease, which could provide an early warning signal and enable treatment via painkillers and saline hydration before it becomes more severe.

Researchers enrolled patients with sickle cell disease to Day Hospital for a VOC between July 2021 and September 2021 into the study, providing them with an Apple Watch Series 3 for the duration of their visit. 15,683 data points from the Apple Watch's heart rate, heart rate variability, and activity data were cross-referenced with pain scores and vital signs from the hospital's electronic medical record to create a machine learning model to predict VOCs.

In another newly published study submitted by Colin Lea, a research scientist at Apple who works on machine learning and accessibility related features, it is proposed that changes to Apple's speech recognition algorithm and machine learning could help alleviate problems for people with a stutter, significantly reducing cut-off utterances and word error rates by almost 80 percent.

Article Link: Apple Watch Could Help Treat Sickle Cell Disease Symptoms, Study Suggests
 
This Apple Watch started slow, with nobody knowing what it can do or how can it be usefull....and in 10 years can be a must have health accessory
Yeah man, the biggest company on Earth’s next big product… OFC everybody was amazed.
 


The Apple Watch can help treat a key symptom of sickle cell disease and changes to Apple's speech recognition algorithm could help people with a stutter, new studies propose.

apple-watch-series-6-product-red-back.jpg

According to a study conducted by researchers at Duke University's Day Hospital (via MyHealthyApple), the Apple Watch could help treat vaso-occlusive crises (VOCs), a key complication caused by sickle cell disease that often hospitalizes patients due to severe pain. The research indicates that machine learning using the Apple Watch's collected health data can discover trends to predict pain among people with sickle cell disease, which could provide an early warning signal and enable treatment via painkillers and saline hydration before it becomes more severe.

Researchers enrolled patients with sickle cell disease to Day Hospital for a VOC between July 2021 and September 2021 into the study, providing them with an Apple Watch Series 3 for the duration of their visit. 15,683 data points from the Apple Watch's heart rate, heart rate variability, and activity data were cross-referenced with pain scores and vital signs from the hospital's electronic medical record to create a machine learning model to predict VOCs.

In another newly published study submitted by Colin Lea, a research scientist at Apple who works on machine learning and accessibility related features, it is proposed that changes to Apple's speech recognition algorithm and machine learning could help alleviate problems for people with a stutter, significantly reducing cut-off utterances and word error rates by almost 80 percent.

Article Link: Apple Watch Could Help Treat Sickle Cell Disease Symptoms, Study Suggests
As a stutterer for 57 years, this development caught my eye. I can't imagine what the practical application of this might be. Will it be a tap on my wrist if my pulse increases as I approach a word I might get stuck on(very interesting), or is it just focused on dictation (less interesting)? Whichever interesting it will be, it will be interesting to see where this goes.
 
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Amazing. The Apple Watch has improved a lot, but has some catching up to do. Although I never interact with it besides working out, i find it an essential part of my life.
 
There's so much untapped potential in Apple Watch still to come with new sensors down the road.

Personally, I would love to see Apple venture into mental wellbeing - for example, imagine the watch is able to tell when you are stressed or anxious, and then it interrupts that unproductive pattern by offering instructions to breathe or meditate.

Could be a game changer for people who chronically worry or stress.
 
There's so much untapped potential in Apple Watch still to come with new sensors down the road.

Personally, I would love to see Apple venture into mental wellbeing - for example, imagine the watch is able to tell when you are stressed or anxious, and then it interrupts that unproductive pattern by offering instructions to breathe or meditate.

Could be a game changer for people who chronically worry or stress.
Hey you! Put that glass of wine down! *Vibration intensifies*
 
And with AirPods and AR glasses rumored to have health features of their own… nO iNnOvAtiOn.
 
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That’s great news, the major issue will then be how those with sickle cell disease will afford an Apple Watch.

The vast majority of those with the disease are lower income due to complications from the disease and/or other social detriments, I can’t imagine Medicaid/Medicare plans on covering Apple Watches anytime soon.
 
I'm developing a flatulence detection app.
OMG! This reminded me of when my boy was about 8 and was well into that stage when farts are super funny (not that they ever stop being funny 😁). I grabbed a small breadboard, a small Arduino board, a cheap methane sensor, and a handful of other parts and quickly threw something together. He spent the next two days trying to “test” it. At one point he walked into my home office with an “empty” lidded jar in hand, placed it by the contraption, and removed the lid. Damn thing started beeping like crazy and the joy on his face as he was doubled over laughing was priceless 😄
 
This Apple Watch started slow, with nobody knowing what it can do or how can it be usefull....and in 10 years can be a must have health accessory
I think it will be more like in 10 years from launch, as its indispensable to many now; just wait when there is blood sugar and pressure functionality.

(I also expect it will replace or augment the big Holter monitor by allowing offloading of recording functionality or adding a channel by which a real-time event will be reported to wearer or medical team via watch and internet.

At extreme simplification, the monitor box will provide power and a Bluetooth connection to watch.)
 
As a stutterer for 57 years, this development caught my eye. I can't imagine what the practical application of this might be. Will it be a tap on my wrist if my pulse increases as I approach a word I might get stuck on(very interesting), or is it just focused on dictation (less interesting)? Whichever interesting it will be, it will be interesting to see where this goes.
Welcome to the website 😁
 
Right. I realized the benefit of the Apple Watch the first time I fell (not serious) and the fall detection went off. It makes me feel safer.
I recognized the benefit of the Apple Watch the first time I drifted a corner at 100MPH with my phone in the passenger seat. The phone went flying, then decided that I had fallen. The next thing I know, my Ultra watch was making a sound so loud that my ears were bleeding. This was the first and last time I truly hated an Apple product.
 
I just fell the other day (not serious either). Was out for a walk and tripped on an uneven sidewalk. Fall detection did go off. It’s a good thing to have.
In some ways it’s better than the “I’ve fallen and I can’t get up” push buttons. I can make a call with my watch if I get stuck. I just wish I felt comfortable showering with it.
 
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