The landscape of wearable technology is evolving, with a significant leap forward for US users of the Pixel Watch 3. Soon, a groundbreaking health and safety feature, “Loss of Pulse detection,” will become available. This innovation, initially unveiled in 2024, has now secured the crucial green light from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), marking a pivotal moment in personal health monitoring.
Long-Awaited Arrival: FDA Approval and US Rollout
After a six-month wait following its initial announcement at the Made by Google event, the Pixel Watch 3 is poised to introduce its Loss of Pulse detection feature to the United States. Google has officially announced that FDA approval has been granted, and the feature will be rolled out by the end of March, starting with the Pixel Watch 3. Notably, this life-saving capability has already been accessible in 14 countries since its initial 2024 launch, highlighting its global significance.
A First-of-Its-Kind Safety Net: How Loss of Pulse Works
Google describes Loss of Pulse as an unprecedented feature designed to identify instances where the heart ceases to beat due to critical medical events. These include primary cardiac arrest, respiratory or circulatory failure, and incidents of overdose or poisoning. Upon detecting a potential loss of pulse, the watch will first attempt to contact the user, verifying their condition. If no response is received, the system will automatically initiate contact with emergency services, potentially providing critical, life-saving intervention.
Expanding the Pixel Watch 3’s Health Arsenal
Loss of Pulse detection will join an already robust suite of health and safety features on the Pixel Watch 3. This includes Car Crash Detection, an ECG app, Safety Check, Irregular Heart Rhythm Notifications, and Fall Detection. This new addition will be an opt-in feature, allowing users to choose whether to activate this advanced monitoring capability.
The Technological Symphony Behind Pulse Detection
The Loss of Pulse detection system operates through a sophisticated combination of the smartwatch’s sensors, advanced signal-processing algorithms, and artificial intelligence. Initially, the green light-based heart rate sensor attempts to detect a pulse. Should this sensor fail to register a pulse, the infrared and red light sensors are activated to search for supplementary indications. Simultaneously, the motion sensor monitors for any signs of movement. The data gathered from these sensors is then processed by an AI-driven algorithm to determine if a loss of pulse event has occurred. If such an event is suspected, a check-in notification is triggered. In the absence of a response, the watch will emit an audible alarm and initiate a countdown. If there is still no user interaction, the watch, through its connected smartphone (for non-LTE models), will automatically place an emergency call, transmitting the user’s location to emergency services.
Source: Google
