A regular smartwatch spotted more hidden high blood pressure than a check-up did
Google researchers built an AI that reads the pulse and motion sensors already in a smartwatch, with no blood pressure cuff needed. In a study of 196 people at five US sites, it flagged 65.8% of those with high blood pressure, compared with 55.3% for a standard reading at the doctor's office.
Why it matters
More than a billion people have high blood pressure, and over half of them don't know it, because it rarely causes symptoms. A watch that quietly suggests you get checked could catch it long before it does damage.
Your watch already counts your steps. It might soon tell you something more useful.
SourceGoogle Research