Pixel Watch 3: Google's Lifesaving Feature You Hope You Never Need
Google's latest smartwatch, the Pixel Watch 3, boasts a range of improvements including a larger 45mm size and enhanced fitness tracking capabilities. However, its most notable addition is a potentially lifesaving feature: Loss of Pulse Detection.
This innovative technology, starting at £349, can detect when your pulse has stopped due to various factors like cardiac arrest, respiratory or circulatory failure, overdose, or poisoning. Google's Senior Director of Product Management for Pixel Wearables, Sandeep Waraich, highlights the importance of this feature, emphasizing its ability to detect a critical medical event.
Smartwatch manufacturers like Google, Apple, and Samsung have long been incorporating health sensors into their devices. While features like fall and crash detection are relatively easy to test, Google faced a unique challenge with Loss of Pulse Detection.
To overcome this, Google research scientist Dr. Jake Sunshine collaborated with medical patients undergoing procedures that temporarily stopped their hearts. These patients wore the Watch 3 during treatment, providing valuable data. Additionally, Google employed specialized tourniquets to simulate a loss of pulse on testers' wrists.
According to Google, over half of those experiencing loss of pulse events are alone, making it extremely difficult to survive. To address this critical issue, the Pixel Watch 3 will automatically contact emergency services if it detects a loss of pulse and no purposeful movement.
While Loss of Pulse Detection is currently available in certain European countries, Google is working to expand its availability to other regions, including the UK. The company is also collaborating with emergency services to ensure they are prepared for the potential influx of calls from Watch 3 users.
This feature adds another layer of safety to the growing list of health and safety tracking capabilities offered by smartwatch manufacturers. While one hopes they never need to rely on it, Loss of Pulse Detection could potentially prove to be a life-saving addition to the Pixel Watch 3.
