24/7 “on the watch”, thanks to wearables?

Wearables are getting more compact, handier and also more versatile. They measure steps, physical exercise, heart rate, sleeping quality and even the oxygen level in your blood. Moreover they measure continuously and precisely, collect large numbers of data and never get tired. ​

Currently, these data are first and foremost put to use for the improvement of sporting performance and lifestyle, but the call for applications in healthcare is on the rise. In actual fact, we are close to the point where wearables can redefine a doctor’s range of duties. In a recent Stanford University study, participants wore multiple wearables for a few months. For each participant, ‘normal’ values for heart rate, body temperature, sleep-wake rhythm and physical exercise were individually determined, as were the threshold values for deviations.

These precise individual thresholds subsequently allowed for the early detection of illness (even before the participants noticed so themselves or developed a fever). Moreover, the heart rate of participants with an increased risk of diabetes type 2, went down very little during their sleep. Because these results weren’t influenced by physical exercise or BMI, they’re a ‘pure’ indicator of the diabetes risk, that can be measured without blood sampling.

​At this moment, this type of personalised medicine still requires multiple wearables and complicated calculations. As wearables become even more versatile and more data can be collected, the algorithms will be fine-tuned (in order to prevent false alarms). A reliable wearable “doctor’s assistant” will be within reach.

Applications for the workplace will also come into view. Wearables detecting fatigue or sleepiness will help to avoid accidents in high-risk jobs. Those detecting long-term stress or risk of burn-out will be able to inform the user’s care network - even if the last word about privacy and confidentiality for such applications hasn’t been spoken yet. ​