Apple Is Working on a New Feature for Apple Watch That Will Send Alerts if the Is Drowning 3f645g Technology News

Apple has filed a patent application for an Apple Watch feature that sends drowning alerts to nearby s. 1wm3q

Written by Manas Mitul | Updated: 15 April 2024 17:59 IST

Apple Is Working on a New Feature for Apple Watch That Will Send Alerts if the Is Drowning

Photo Credit: Apple 62m2c

Apple Watch could also share alerts when a child goes to the deeper end of the swimming pool

Highlights

The feature will look for irregular behaviour when a is swimming
Apple said it will integrate its sensor data to check if the is in d
Apple highlighted more than 3,500 people in the US die from drowning

ment

Apple Watch Series 10 could feature an upgraded display that offers better battery life.

In a patent application filed with the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), Apple shared details on how this feature would work and highlighted the need for such a feature. The tech giant said in its application that every year, 3,500 people drown and lose their lives just in the US. Calling it the “fifth most common cause of accidental deaths in the country”, Apple said there is a need for drowning prevention systems.

Apple's drowning alert system as shown in the patent application
Photo Credit: Apple

The company's proposed feature does not introduce any new sensors to detect when a is drowning, however. Instead, it relies on the existing sensors on the Apple Watch to interpret data whenever the might be in distress underwater. As per the patent application, the primary trigger for this will be its inertial sensor which will determine if the head, arms, and torso of the swimmer is positioned in a way that suggests irregular behaviour.

Why the Apple Watch Series 10 Could Arrive With Improved Battery Life

This data will then be corroborated with the Apple Watch's heart rate sensor or the blood oxygen sensor that will determine if the 's heart rate has suddenly elevated or the VO2 max levels have suddenly dropped, which could indicate that the is about to drown. The data from the sensors will be run through a special machine learning algorithm to then predict if the is really drowning.

In case a is found to be at risk of drowning, the Apple Watch could send an alert to emergency service providers as well as nearby s and lifeguards. The company also highlighted that the system could also share similar alerts in case a child is swimming in a pool and accidentally goes to the deeper end. It is noted that the feature currently exists as a patent application. It is not certain whether Apple will get the patent for this technology, and when Apple Watch devices may carry the drowning alert feature.

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Further reading: Apple Watch Features

Akash Dutta Email Akash Dutta

Akash Dutta is a Senior Sub Editor at Gadgets 360. He is particularly interested in the social impact of technological developments and loves reading about emerging fields such as AI, metaverse, and fediverse. In his free time, he can be seen ing his favourite football club - Chelsea, watching movies and anime, and sharing ionate opinions on food. More