Tag: Apple

Categories
Brain

Apple partners with UCLA, Biogen for iPhone mental/cognitive health monitoring


The Apple/UCLA project “Seabreeze” and Apple/Biogen project “Pi” represent a further move into iPhone health monitoring.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Apple is attempting to develop an algorithm to identify depression and cognitive decline from sleep patterns, mobility, and how one uses the phone — for example, how often they look at its clock.

This follows a study that Apple Did with Eli Lilly, which showed that MCI and early dementia patients typed slowly, used devices erratically, sent fewer texts, and used “helper apps” often.

A recent Apple/Duke study analyzed kids phone use to understand emotions and behavior that could be associated with autism.

Mindstrong Health and others have been evaluating phone use to detect mental illness for years, and Mindstrong has recently moved into therapy and psychiatry offerings, based on phone based digital phenotyping, which could be where Apple is headed with these new projects.

The very earliest stages of mental and cognitive wellness changes could be missed using phone data alone, but could still be detected with EEG or other brain signal monitoring technology.

———-

Join ApplySci at MIT on April 8, 2022 for the 14th Wearable Tech + Digital Health + Neurotech Conference.

Categories
Sensors

AirPod light sensors for health monitoring

A source has told DigiTimes that Apple supplier ASE Technology will manufacture ambient light sensors for AirPods. This could be used to monitor step count, head movement, and heart rate. It could also track blood oxygen levels — a key metric in detecting COVID-19.

The shift from consumer-grade to less-obtrusive medical-grade health monitoring at scale is the obvious way forward.

Categories
Diabetes Sensors Wearables

Apple reportedly developing non-invasive glucose monitor

CNBC’s Christina Farr has reported that Apple has been quietly developing a non-invasive, sensor-based glucose monitor.  The technology has apparently advanced to the trial stage.

Diabetes has become a global epidemic.  Continuous monitoring, automatic insulin delivery, and the “artificial pancreas” are significant steps forward, meant to control the disease, and avoid its debilitating side effects.  While some systems consist of micro-needles just below the skin, to date, none are totally non-invasive.

The ideal solution would be the use of the Apple Watch and other fitness/lifestyle trackers to control behavior to the point that the disease is avoided entirely.  However, if diagnosed, a non-invasive glucose sensor would transform the daily life of diabetics.

Join ApplySci at Wearable Tech + Digital Health + NeuroTech Boston – Featuring: Joi Ito, Ed Boyden, Roz Picard, George Church, Tom Insel, John Rogers, Jamshid Ghajar, Phillip Alvelda and Nathan Intrator – September 19, 2017 at the MIT Media Lab

Categories
Cancer Wearables

Wearable tracks breast cancer side effects, sleep, mood, activity

A pilot study exploring  the use of wearables in breast cancer is underway.  Polaris Health Directions and  the MD Anderson Cancer Center are using the Apple Watch to  track multiple factors, increase engagement, and provide immediate feedback and interventions.

Side effects, sleep, activity levels and mood will be monitored, and combined with electronic health records and population data.

According to Polaris,  “the patient  will learn through self-discovery  how to modify  behavior, and if she finds herself in a high stress situation, our on-demand support mechanisms can provide instant assistance.”

WEARABLE TECH + DIGITAL HEALTH NYC 2015 – JUNE 30 @ NEW YORK ACADEMY OF SCIENCES.  REGISTER HERE.

Categories
Asthma Cancer Data Diabetes Heart Parkinson's

ResearchKit can simplify, improve diagnostics

As a company devoted to improving the human condition through health innovation, ApplySci was delighted to hear yesterday’s ResearchKit announcement.  The framework allows people to easily join health studies, and simplifies the process by bringing research to one’s phone.

ResearchKit’s first tests detect Parkinson’s disease, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, asthma, and breast cancer.  Apple worked with 12 institutions to create the app, including some which will participate in ApplySci’s Wearable Tech + Digital Health NYC 2015 conference.

Apple’s (admirable) goal is to more easily recruit research subjects, and improve accuracy by increasing sample size and diversity.  Data is captured and recorded using iPhone sensors.  Examples include:

  • An iPhone’s microphone can detect tiny voice  fluctuations that may indicate Parkinson’s disease.
  • An iPhone’s screen can detect tapping inconsistencies associated with disease.
  • An iPhone accelerometer can compare one’s gait and balance against a healthy person’s speed and posture.

Users control their own data, and decide if, how, and when to share it.   Apple will not have access to it.  The company hopes that external developers will soon dramatically increase the number of tests available.

Wearable Tech + Digital Health NYC 2015 – June 30 @ New York Academy of Sciences .  Early registration rate available until March 27th.

Categories
Apps Data Diabetes Wearables

Apple watch will track glucose

The forthcoming Apple Watch will include the DexCom glucose tracking app.  To use it, a tiny sensor must be placed under the skin to measure glucose levels every five minutes.  Results will be displayed on the watch with a simple graph.

While DexCom has FDA approval, due to recent a recent FDA clarification on wearable devices, other health apps can be included, and this will remain a “Low Risk” device, not requiring prior marketing approval.  This is great news for both device makers and consumers, as it will inspire a proliferation of health apps.  ApplySci hopes that the competition will ensure that the most accurate health trackers become the most popular, and will continue to curate this movement with that goal.

Wearable Tech + Digital Health NYC 2015 – June 30 @ New York Academy of Sciences.

Categories
Sensors Wearables

Apple granted “iTime” patent

Apple‘s U.S. Patent No. 8,787,006 for a “Wrist-worn electronic device and methods therefor” describes a wearable touchscreen device that can be docked into a wrist strap, turning it into a smartwatch.  One illustration names it “iTime”.

The device connects to an iPhone, iPad or computer to access information and receive alerts.  Its  strap could contain haptic mechanisms, various sensors, biometric components, GPS modules, NFC antennas, Bluetooth packages, and/or proximity detectors.  Arm movement gestures could be used to control the watch, eliminating the need to touch the screen.

Categories
fitness Wearables

Apple patents more wearable sensors

Apple Insider reports:  “A batch of Apple patent filings published on Thursday describe a system of interconnected sensors — some being wearable devices — that work with an iPhone hub to monitor activity levels, dynamically set or cancel alarms and manage push notification settings, among other automated tasks.”

The patents include: Method and Apparatus For Personal Characterization Data Collection Using Sensors,  Method and Apparatus for Automatically Setting Alarms and Notifications, and an update to a 2010 application describing a heart rate monitor embedded in a future iOS device.  All enable the iPhone to collect data from sensors in wristbands and other wearables to track activity levels and adjust settings based on a user’s behavior.

Categories
fitness Sensors Wearables

Apple patents weightlifting tracker

Apple’s U.S. Patent No. 8,749,380 is a “shoe wear-out sensor, body-bar sensing system, unitless activity assessment and associated methods.”   

The patent describes a system where a sensor-laden device attaches to a weightlifting bar and counts and displays repetitions.  A watch for remote readings is included.  It is widely thought to be a part of an iWatch weightlifting tracker.

The device incorporates sensors, accelerometers, and processors with its display. Data can be sent wirelessly to a watch. Sensor hardware clips to fitness equipment, including bars, dumbbells and machines, and monitors movement and number of repetitions. 

Categories
Wearables

Apple developing health focused iWatch

http://9to5mac.com/2013/07/18/apple-stacks-iwatch-team-with-sensor-fitness-experts/

As they prepare to enter the Wearable Technology market, Apple is hiring hardware and software engineers and medical sensor and fitness experts to build a “fitness-oriented, sensor-laden wearable computer.”

**Above photo based on rumors only