Bandung, IndonesiaSentinel.com — Apple watch latest health innovation, a sleep apnea detection feature, has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and will be available to users of the Apple Watch Series 9 and Watch Ultra 2 starting this September. This new feature is part of the watchOS 11 update and aims to help users identify potential sleep apnea, a condition where breathing repeatedly stops during sleep.
Sleep apnea, which can lead to serious health issues like high blood pressure, heart problems, and daytime fatigue, often goes undiagnosed. The Apple Watch’s new feature addresses this by leveraging the device’s built-in accelerometer, a sensor traditionally used to detect motion. During sleep, the accelerometer picks up subtle wrist movements that are linked to breathing irregularities. By analyzing these movements, the watch can detect disturbances in breathing patterns and alert users to the possibility of moderate to severe sleep apnea.
Users can monitor their “breathing disturbances” data through the Health app, where they will also have the option to download the information and share it with their healthcare providers for further analysis. Apple has emphasized that its detection algorithm is backed by advanced machine learning, which has been refined using a large dataset of clinical-grade sleep apnea tests. This ensures a high level of accuracy in detecting sleep apnea events.
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The feature is part of a broader trend in wearable technology, where health monitoring capabilities continue to expand. Samsung’s Galaxy Watch received similar FDA clearance for its own sleep apnea detection earlier in 2023. With the rollout of sleep apnea detection on the Watch Series 9, Watch Ultra 2, and the upcoming Watch Series 10, Apple is positioning this feature to be available in over 150 countries and regions.
As more people become aware of sleep disorders and the importance of tracking sleep quality, Apple’s latest update brings a critical tool to users’ wrists, offering them a way to proactively manage their health. Through cutting-edge machine learning and user-friendly health tracking, the Apple Watch is advancing the future of wearable health technology.
(Raidi/Agung)
