The American connected watch manufacturer Fitbit is currently developing an algorithm as part of the fight against Covid-19. This is to allow watches, in the future, to accurately detect the coronavirus even before the first symptoms appear. But how can this be possible?
According to an article published by Techcrunch on May 22, 2020, the company Fitbit will conduct a study among its users in North America. They are invited to register in the Fitbit mobile application and answer a questionnaire. The questions relate to a previous or present infection with Covid-19, or the presence of worrying symptoms. Other questions relate to the medical history of users.
The information collected through the questionnaires will then be coupled with the data collected by the watch intelligent users. Thus, it is a question of identifying – by means of an algorithm – trends that can provide early warning of a potential infection. In addition, it should be noted that user participation is not mandatory and participating volunteers can withdraw at any time.
As the world gradually deconfines, such an innovation could indeed be of interest. Early warning about Covid-19 should allow people to self-isolate quickly and thus avoid infecting their loved ones. In addition, quickly identifying the presence of the coronavirus can be synonymous with early care for patients. This could ultimately limit the number of serious cases.
However, there is a very good chance that Fitbit's algorithm can never replace detection tests . Indeed, the latter are essential to ensure that a person is really sick (or has been). But even these detection tests are not perfect! And for good reason, they are not 100% reliable.
Connected watches are not medical devices, so much so that one can question their real usefulness regarding Covid-19. However, we will have to be patient and wait for the results of the study. In any case, the number of users must absolutely be substantial and the results must be published in their entirety for verification.
Finally, remember that connected watches have been trying for some time to invest the field of health . In November 2019, we mentioned the future Apple Watch Series 6 capable of detecting heart problems. In January 2020, Withings unveiled the first watch capable of detecting sleep apnea and atrial fibrillation.
