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The Next Generation Apple Watch Could Identify Users by Their Heart Rate
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I still have the new ceramic model on order, but the more I read about this thing' the less I think I'll use it. Can anyone share 'your' real-world distance from the iPhone in which the device will receive calls, etc.?
Probably a better question for the Apple Watch forum. I don't own one (yet, I am considering), but with my bluetooth-connected Garmin FR235 watch I easily have 25 to 30 feet distance at which it keeps connection and displays notifications and will control music on my phone. That's through a couple residential walls as well.
You're not going to be able to leave your phone at home and walk the dogs, or possibly even get the mail.
You're not going to be able to leave your phone at home and walk the dogs, or possibly even get the mail.
I'd love to see a super low powered mode that does exactly that. Disable all radios, screen, etc. until the alarm goes off.
My thoughts are for Gen 3, is a larger Watch face, perhaps a 38, 42, 46. I personally would want a larger Watch face. 42 MM is a decent size for the time being, but I do see myself utilizing the larger face. One of the downfalls with the Series 2 Watch, was Apple
Did integrate a larger battery, however; the GPS and added screen brightness keeps the battery life in the same Realm as the Gen 1 Watch.
I would like to think Gen 3 will offer a larger battery, larger screen and thinner casing in the least. A round variant is unlikely by Gen 3. But I would welcome a round Version as well.
So let me ask you this question, as I've yet to figure it out. Genuine question, I'm not trying to troll you.
What actionable information does/would sleep-tracking data provide to you? In what way would you find it useful?
My Garmin FR235 does sleep tracking, as does my wife's fitbit does similar.
We've yet to find any real purpose for the function beyond confirmation that one of us didn't sleep well... which is already readily apparent before our first cups of coffee in the morning.
That's what I ask every single friend of mine who care to track their sleep...
I expect my cardiologist could tell every one of his patients apart by their EKG if he cared to. He seem to know how my heart medicine is working, or not, based on what he sees. Of course my watch trying to use pulse shape may also get fooled by the medicine and I expect a multi-lead EKG is much more accurate than measured pulse shapes. Still I'd be willing to see if this works, looks plausible as ID for a watch unlock as likelihood a thief could fool it would be very small.
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I spent a night being monitored in a sleep study to try to diagnose the reason for my sleep problems. Lots of potential problems. The fact that I had a problem by itself isn't helpful in finding a cure for one of the many thinks that can cause problems. Sleep study monitors a bunch of stuff including sound, breathing, blood saturation and someone watching. Would be nice to have something at home that could do some of that. Ended up with a CPAP and supplemental oxygen but would still like confirmation it is working as it should.
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I spent a night being monitored in a sleep study to try to diagnose the reason for my sleep problems. Lots of potential problems. The fact that I had a problem by itself isn't helpful in finding a cure for one of the many thinks that can cause problems. Sleep study monitors a bunch of stuff including sound, breathing, blood saturation and someone watching. Would be nice to have something at home that could do some of that. Ended up with a CPAP and supplemental oxygen but would still like confirmation it is working as it should.
Pretty much you answered your own question. I'd like to see a tracker done right, not just an oversight & another thing to tick on a spec sheet, I believe Apple is best placed to do so. I should add not for me, but once all info can be collated such as the health app, then you can start to look for patterns forming, what was the date, what was I doing before I went to bed, what was room temp (ala homekit) does anything link up etc. Then you might have a better picture as to other things that may be happening, after all, it's not like you can keep a diary of when you woke up, when you were restless, what your heart rate was.
In itself I grant it may seem useless to you, & I get your cynicism, but why put any trackers in a watch, I'm sure you could time a run & know how far you've run, why did you & your wife 'waste' money on your trackers?
If you read the patent application, they're not really so much looking at pulse shapes as they're looking at characteristics of the users vasculature. At least as I understand it. I think the summary article either is using a different source or just misunderstood the patent. Or I misunderstood it.
Also, remember, these (optical HR devices) don't directly measure the heart. They measure an effect (blood volume changes in/under the skin) of an effect (blood pressure waves) of the actual heart muscle contractions.
Sounds reasonable, though I'd be curious to know how much correlation there is between normal sleep movements and those associated with medical issues such as you're experiencing. Both my Garmin FS235 and my wife's Fitbit solely measure movement in their sleep tracking as best as I can tell even though the Garmin does have optical HR.
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You misunderstand. I don't currently see any actionable information, but I'm not against the concept. I simply see people saying that sleep tracking is important to them, but none prior have been able to describe what they actually do with the data they get from their tracker.
I have my watch because it delivers several specific benefits that I can use. I've done the stopwatch and preplanned run routes in years past before GPS watches became available and decent, so I'm very familiar with the limitations. GPS based watches provide a lot of convenience vs. the old fashioned way. Also I measure HR during runs and adjust intensity up or down during the run based on my training goals. HR is far more objective than "feel" which can vary from day to day. So the answer for me is the watch provide very specific actionable benefits to me during and after runs.
My wife's fitbit is more a motivator / nanny -- its benefit derives from the tallying of movement throughout the day and the associated motivation that can come from making changes to habits and lifestyle to increase that movement tally. Examples including taking stairs instead of elevators and parking further away than you might otherwise.
You did describe a scenario where a sleep tracker, coupled with other pieces and software, could provide a longer term analysis. Do any existing devices/systems provide that, or is it a hope that such a suite may become available?
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From what I've seen (& I'm no expert) nope. Everything appears to be fragmented/dis-jointed, somewhat limited in their abilities & not meant to be coupled together, but this is where
's secret sauce could work its magic, it's still very early days for what the watch can do.The question I posed to you was merely rhetorical, but in effect you bought your devices not because of the "sleep' trackers contained therein, but because of specific metrics you are able to quantify & use. Likewise I bought my
watch for other features not found on anything else in the market that I am able to use; a sleep tracker done right (& not a box just ticked on a spec sheet) I suspect would be a feature that no-other would be able to get close to & I think Apple is in the best position to captivate the market, I'm sure with some thought, actionable information wouldn't be too far behind.Utter nonsense.
As an Anaesthetist (Anesthesiologist to you US folks), this is just not going to happen with current technology.
Some of the Apple Watch ideas I'm seeing are pure techno-narcissism from people who have NO CLUE about physiology, and the physics & measurement of physiological parameters.
Apple Watch measures pulse rate, not heart rate - quite different parameters and I can write several thousand words on the difference... you can actually have a very abnormal heart rate (and ECG/EKG) and not have it be detected by the *pulse* measuring device. It's not even close to an ECG.
The waveform from a plethysmograph (like a pulse oximeter's waveform) will not give you any 'identifying' data whatsoever. It's even terribly unreliable when attempting to measure blood pressure too.
Other daft ideas:
- that it could measure blood pressure directly - NOPE
- that it could measure blood glucose non-invasively - NOPE
- that it could measure hydration non-invasively - NOPE
Let's just stick to reality...
Well said fellow doctor. Folks around here who have zero knowledge of physiology keep quoting "research papers" that makes absolutely NO SENSE.
Could you point out where in the patent application they claim to be using the heartbeat / waveform? I've read the thing and haven't spotted it. All I see is mention of using the optics to somehow measure vasculature.
Note before you wind up a pitch... *I* don't think the patent application is talking at all about heartbeat, but something else instead that's not entirely clear.
Whatever it is they're doing, it seems they think there's enough possibility to justify a patent application. Even if it doesn't turn out to be viable in actuality.
Thank you for teaching me something new. This sounds incredible.
Once upon a time we just thought finger print was unique. Now it's iris scanning, heart beat. Who knows what other ways humans are super invidualized.
Ask those on Ambien...
"Whoa! You went to the store, did some Christmas shopping, and came back home and wrapped this dozen eggs you got me! Nice tracker!"
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DNA? Well, to add to that, when I worked in clean rooms, at first everyone looks the same from a distance. We're all wearing bunnysuits:
OK, each person has a size and shape, but then you start noticing other things, like the way they walk, their hand gestures, the way they stand, and other subtle body inflections. You can identify people 30 yards away as they move.
Great idea 
I say incorporate this as a security measure. If an unauthorized user attempts to wear the watch, it should discharge 30,000 volts of electrical current directly into the thiefs wrist.
As an added bonus, the watch should retain and store any water that it happens to come into contact with. Said water shall be discharged onto the thief simultaneously with the electric current.
After fully depleting its supply of power and water, the watch should burst into flames.
Let's put this technology to good use.
I say incorporate this as a security measure. If an unauthorized user attempts to wear the watch, it should discharge 30,000 volts of electrical current directly into the thiefs wrist.
As an added bonus, the watch should retain and store any water that it happens to come into contact with. Said water shall be discharged onto the thief simultaneously with the electric current.
After fully depleting its supply of power and water, the watch should burst into flames.
Let's put this technology to good use.
Lol, the 1950's called- they want their conspiracy back!
Anyways, here in the real world- NASA has no funding & there are no "secret space programs" (what the hell medical sensors would have to do with the space program is beyond me... I guess that just sounded more "sci-fi" in the make believe world you've conjured up in your mind).
Paul Allen & Elon Musk have shown us that the future of space programs are in private citizens & the NSA has shown us the the real "secret programs" have nothing to do with space- they have to do with destroying our privacies.
Two readings for most guys:
John by himself
John with girl
heart rate id compensated with use of camera and microphone
John by himself
John with girl
heart rate id compensated with use of camera and microphone