Apple working on cuffless BP monitoring tech: Report

Apple is reportedly working on technology that could detect a user’s blood pressure (BP) by using neutral networks and seismocardiogram data, negating the need for a BP cuff.

According to a patent application, a wearable device, potentially paired with Apple Watch, might one day be capable of monitoring a user’s blood pressure without the need for any additional peripherals.

The patent application, titled “Interpretable neural networks for cuffless blood pressure estimation,” explores the use of neural networks to estimate blood pressure using seismocardiogram data, reports AppleInsider.

Unlike an electrocardiogram, which relies on electrical signals to monitor a heart rate, a seismocardiogram measures the micro-vibrations produced by the heart beating, the report said.

The system would work by leveraging an individually pruned neutral network accepting a seismocardiogram as input. That neural network would then use the data to estimate blood pressure, the patent said.

Launched in 2020, Apple Watch Series 6 comes with a Blood Oxygen feature that offers users even more insight into their overall wellness.

Oxygen saturation or SpO2 represents the percentage of oxygen being carried by red blood cells from the lungs to the rest of the body and indicates how well this oxygenated blood is being delivered throughout the body.

It houses a faster S6 System in Package (SiP) and next-generation always-on altimeter, along with its most colourful lineup yet, featuring a beautiful palette of new case finishes and bands.

A recent study by researchers at Mount Sinai hospital in the US found that subtle changes in a participant’s heart rate variability (HRV) measured by an Apple Watch were able to signal the onset of Covid-19 up to seven days before the individual was diagnosed with the infection via nasal swab, and also to identify those who have symptoms.

Reliable Apple analyst Neil Cybart, in February, had shared a report showing there are currently over 100 million people wearing an Apple Watch.