Watches get smart on health

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• 日期: 2025-08-20
• 浏览次数: 80次

Smartwatches, especially those made by Apple like the iPhone, are often seen as fashionable items. However, new research suggests they might also be very useful for our health. Scientists from several universities have discovered that smartwatches can help to control the spread of viruses that cause pandemics, such as the virus that caused COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2). Using information collected by smartwatches, like heart rate and skin temperature, from previous studies, the researchers found that these devices are quite accurate. Smartwatches can detect if someone has COVID-19 about four to five days before they start feeling sick, with an accuracy of 88%. For the flu, the accuracy is even higher, reaching 90% about 24 hours before symptoms appear.

We know that people tend to reduce contact with others when they realize they are ill. Staying away from others helps to stop pandemics from spreading quickly. Therefore, the researchers suggest that when another global virus outbreak happens, governments should think about giving smartwatches to everyone. For governments, using smartwatches could be a more affordable way to manage pandemics compared to other methods.