Apple Is Working on a New Feature for Apple Watch That Will Send Alerts if the User Is Drowning

Apple Watch in future may very well be outfitted with capabilities to alert close by customers if an individual sporting the system begins to drown in a water physique. In accordance with a brand new patent utility, the Cupertino-based tech big is engaged on a function that can be capable to sense when a consumer is exhibiting “irregular behaviour” whereas swimming and is in misery underwater through the use of the sensors current on the smartwatch. Notably, a latest report has claimed that the Apple Watch Sequence 10 might function an upgraded show that gives higher battery life.

In a patent utility filed with the US Patent and Trademark Workplace (USPTO), Apple shared particulars on how this function would work and highlighted the necessity for such a function. The tech big stated in its utility that yearly, 3,500 folks drown and lose their lives simply within the US. Calling it the “fifth commonest explanation for unintended deaths within the nation”, Apple stated there’s a want for drowning prevention techniques.

Apple’s drowning alert system as proven within the patent utility
Picture Credit score: Apple

The corporate’s proposed function doesn’t introduce any new sensors to detect when a consumer is drowning, nevertheless. As an alternative, it depends on the present sensors on the Apple Watch to interpret knowledge every time the consumer could be in misery underwater. As per the patent utility, the first set off for this shall be its inertial sensor which can decide if the pinnacle, arms, and torso of the swimmer is positioned in a means that implies irregular behaviour.

This knowledge will then be corroborated with the Apple Watch’s coronary heart price sensor or the blood oxygen sensor that can decide if the consumer’s coronary heart price has abruptly elevated or the VO2 max ranges have abruptly dropped, which might point out that the consumer is about to drown. The information from the sensors shall be run via a particular machine studying algorithm to then predict if the consumer is absolutely drowning.

In case a consumer is discovered to be vulnerable to drowning, the Apple Watch might ship an alert to emergency service suppliers in addition to close by customers and lifeguards. The corporate additionally highlighted that the system might additionally share comparable alerts in case a baby is swimming in a pool and by accident goes to the deeper finish. It’s famous that the function presently exists as a patent utility. It’s not sure whether or not Apple will get the patent for this expertise, and when Apple Watch units could carry the drowning alert function.