It’s very clear that Apple’s wearables strategy is heavily focussed on the Apple Watch and its many sensors. With blood pressure monitoring anticipated to be part of the next round of Apple Watch hardware updates and blood glucose monitoring being developed, the focus has diversified.
Researchers analysed over 2.5B hours of sensor data from almost 162,000 people and drawn some very interesting conclusions. The research paper, titled Beyond Sensor Data: Foundation Models of Behavioral Data from Wearables Improve Health Predictions, uses data from the Apple Heart & Movement Study. The data has been used to create a new AI model, the Wearable Behavior Model. As well as using sensor data such as heart rate, the model uses behavioural metrics such as step count, gait stability, mobility and VO₂ max. By correlating that data with other health data such as whether someone is a smoker, on specific medication, pregnant or someone other factor its possible to get a better understanding of a person’s health status.
Interestingly, by combining heart rate data with the WBM, the researchers were able to predict a number of heath conditions with high levels of accuracy.
The aim of the WBM is not to replace the need for sensor data but to complement it so we can all get better useful information.
This has long been a problem with the data that is collected by the Apple Watch and other wearables. While collecting the data is important, turning the data into useful insights that can recommend changes that improve health has evaded most of us.
There have been rumours that Apple is preparing an enhanced version of its Health app, dubbed Health+. The research that has been released suggests that Apple is moving down the road to using AI to help individuals achieve a healthier life.
The researchers made an important point at the end of their paper:
Given our focus on wearables, we acknowledge the potential societal impact of deploying advanced health prediction models given data from wearables. Improving these prediction models may exacerbate equity gaps between individuals with access to wearable devices to those without. It remains essential to consider ways to democratize the benefits and findings of our work to other forms of data and devices that ensure equity across different groups.
Let’s hope the benefits of this, and other new technologies, are not only available to the wealthy.
Anthony is the founder of Australian Apple News. He is a long-time Apple user and former editor of Australian Macworld. He has contributed to many technology magazines and newspapers as well as appearing regularly on radio and occasionally on TV.