A few years ago, thinking about wearing a ring that measured your heart rate, your sleep, and how stressed you are seemed like something out of a science fiction movie. Now it certainly isn’t. At least, in his proposal.
In recent years, new wearables that put health at the center. The rings are the last guest. Brands like Oura but also giants like Samsung has put them on the market. Dedicated bracelets and smartwatches led by Apple were their direct predecessors.
Now: do they really work? Many experts doubt this.
“Doctor, my watch says I’m not healthy.”
The technology wearablewhich began with the promise of tracking steps and calories, has transformed into a potential ally of modern medicine. But can we trust these devices to guide us to better health or are we creating a technological mirage?
From the smart ring that alerts you about fever to the watch that could save you from a heart attackthe gadget sector is positioned as a digital health giant. However, behind the shine of these innovations, questions arise about the accuracy of the data and its impact on human behavior. Are we becoming more aware of our health or are we falling into a cycle of anxiety and dependency?
Professor Yang Wei from Nottingham Trent University pointed out to the BBC these days that “Technical limitations, such as power consumption and sensitivity to movements, hinder the accuracy of many wearables”. For example, measuring heart rate from a finger is less reliable than measuring it from the wrist. Furthermore, the lack of global standards for data collection and formatting poses challenges for its medical use.
Dr. Helen Salisbury has a similar opinion, adding the problem of self-diagnosis. “The boundaries between incident and alert must be carefully managed,” he wrote in a blog post. “I’m curious to see how device manufacturers, emergency services, first responders and individuals think about this technology in the future.”
The wearables market has evolved rapidly. What started as devices to measure exercise and sleep now includes advanced features like menstrual cycle tracking, body temperature, and heart rate analysis. Giants like Apple and Oura are leading this transformation with technologies that promise more accurate data and integration with medical services.
Reliable data? Between promises and realities
Of course, it’s not just about questioning them. The wearables They not only record data, they can also promote healthy habits. According to Dr. Jake Deutsch, these devices allow doctors to assess overall health more accurately and act in early stages of illness. In some cases, they have even saved lives thanks to features such as atrial fibrillation alerts.
There are also proposals that propose integrating the wearables in the public health system, allowing patients to manage treatments from home. However, other experts warn about the lack of technological infrastructure and staff training to manage this data efficiently.
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