via Stanford Medicine
Stanford Medicine researchers created an algorithm to notify smartwatch wearers of stress, capturing events such as air travel, extended exercise and illness.
Using data from smartwatches, a new algorithm reads heart rate as a proxy for physiological or mental stress, potentially alerting wearers they’re falling ill before they have symptoms.
Researchers led by Michael Snyder, PhD, professor and chair of genetics, have enrolled thousands of participants in a study that employs the algorithm to look for extended periods during which heart rate is higher than normal — a telltale sign that something may be amiss.
But figuring out what may be wrong takes a little sleuthing. During the study, many stressors triggered an alert. Some folks received them while traveling; some while running a marathon; others after over-indulging at the bar.
The most exciting finding, Snyder said, was that the algorithm was able to detect 80% of confirmed COVID-19 cases before or when participants were symptomatic.
“The idea is for people to eventually use this information to decide whether they need to get a COVID-19 test or self-isolate,” Snyder said. “We’re not there yet — we still need to test this in clinical trials — but that’s the ultimate goal.”
The algorithm can’t differentiate between someone who’s knocked back a few too many, someone’s who’s stressed because of work and someone who’s ill with a virus. Although it pinged users who had COVID-19, more refining is needed before people can depend on their smartwatches to warn them of an impending infection with SARS-CoV-2 or other viruses.
A paper detailing the study was published online in Nature Medicine Nov. 29. Snyder, the Stanford W. Ascherman, MD, FACS, Professor of Genetics, and Amir Bahmani, PhD, lecturer and director of Stanford’s Deep Data Research Computing Center, are co-senior authors. Arash Alavi, PhD, research and development lead in Stanford’s Deep Data Research Computing Center; research scientist Meng Wang, PhD; and postdoctoral scholars Gireesh Bogu, PhD, Ekanath Srihari Rangan, MBBS, and Andrew Brooks, PhD, share lead authorship. The alert system was built using MyPHD, a scalable, secure platform for health data.
Stress detection
During the study, which ran for about eight months in 2020 and 2021, 2,155 participants donned a smartwatch, which tracked mental and physical “stress events” via heart rate. When notified of a stress event, through an alert paired with an app on their phone, participants recorded what they were doing. To trigger an alert, their heart rate needed to be elevated for more than a few hours, so a quick jog around the block or a sudden loud noise didn’t set it off.
“What’s great about this is people can contextualize their alerts,” Snyder said. “If you’re traveling via airline and you receive an alert, you know that air travel is likely the culprit.”
If, however, you’re sitting on the couch with a cup of chamomile tea and you receive an alert, that may be a sign that something else — an infection, perhaps — is brewing. Snyder hopes wearers will be able to discern when an alert means they should consider getting tested.
Of 84 people who were diagnosed with COVID-19 during the study, the algorithm flagged 67. Most alerts fell into other categories, such as travel, eating a large meal, menstruation, mental stress, intoxication or non-COVID-19 infections. The algorithm also flagged a period of stress after many participants received a COVID-19 vaccine, reflecting the uptick in immune response prompted by the shot.
Refining the algorithm
As Snyder and the team recruit more participants into the study, they’re planning to hone the specificity of the alerts by adding data — including step count, sleep patterns and body temperature — in the hope that data patterns can correspond to and flag distinct stress events. In addition, the researchers plan to run a clinical trial to determine if the alerts can reliably detect a COVID-19 infection and be used to guide medical choices.
Original Article: Smartwatches alert wearers to bodily stress, including COVID-19
More from: Stanford University | Stanford University School of Medicine | Case Western Reserve University
The Latest Updates from Bing News & Google News
Go deeper with Bing News on:
Smartwatch algorithm
- AI experts explore ethical use of video technology to support patients at risk of falls
Video-enabled glasses have the potential to support patients at risk of falls by allowing medical staff to monitor how they move around their homes and their community. However, with privacy concerns ...
- The Garmin Descent Mk3i Is the Best Smartwatch for Divers
It does everything your souped-up fitness timepiece does, with dive features that are leagues beyond the competition ...
- The best Samsung Galaxy Watch in 2024: Which one should you buy?
So, if you’re in the market for an Android smartwatch, there’s little doubt that a Galaxy Watch will serve you well. But which one is best for your needs? Let’s take a look and see how they ...
- iQOO Watch launched with BlueOS and eSIM support
QOO debuts its smartwatch, the vivo iQOO Watch, running on BlueOS and offering eSIM support for independent smartphone operation. The watch features an OLED display, interchangeable straps, health ...
- Actions Technology's Smartwatch Chip Powers HONOR Band 9 to Achieve 14-Day Long Battery Life
Actions Technology's Smartwatch Chip Powers HONOR Band 9 to Achieve 14-Day ... The chip supports AI ENC call noise reduction and can drive the display screen, run sports health algorithms, handle ...
Go deeper with Google Headlines on:
Smartwatch algorithm
[google_news title=”” keyword=”smartwatch algorithm” num_posts=”5″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]
Go deeper with Bing News on:
Stress detecting algorithm
- Artificial Intelligence: Transforming Banking with Smart Innovations
By Dr Purushottam Kumar Arya & Manish Kumar Tiwary Artificial intelligence in banking transcends basic automation, integrating sophisticated technologies that emulate human cognitive functions to ...
- Sensex@75K! Risk management in algorithmic trading: 8 ways to minimise risk
Since algo trading depends hugely on quantitative models, it also presents certain challenges. Besides sophisticated computer algorithms and lightning-fast speed, a robust risk management system is ...
- The ‘Invisible’: More Women Veterans Are Dying of Suicide and VA Still Lacks Resources, Advocates Say
The rate of women veterans dying by suicide nearly doubled from 2001 to 2021, according to a report from the Dept. of Veterans Affairs released in December. Now a new report from Disabled American ...
- How AI Revolutionizes Lab Tests: Faster, Smarter, More Personalized
AI revolutionizes lab diagnostics with faster, more precise, and personalized testing, significantly improving patient care and ...
- Wearable tech uses AI to detect cardiac arrhythmia 30 minutes before onset
Researchers developed new technology to predict cardiac arrhythmia 30 minutes before it occurs. AFib was detected early with artificial intelligence and electrocardiogram information gathered by ...
Go deeper with Google Headlines on:
Stress detecting algorithm
[google_news title=”” keyword=”stress detecting algorithm” num_posts=”5″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]