The upcoming Apple iWatch may have the ability to predict heart attacks, The San Francisco Chronicle reports. The unnamed source who spoke to the Chronicle says that audio engineer and recent Apple hire Tomlinson Holman is currently working on developing the technology to do just that.
Audio Expert Investigates Heart-Monitoring Technology
Holman, a former corporate technical director at Lucasfilm, developed revolutionary theater audio systems capable of closely reproducing sound to match the original audio mix. Some had previously speculated that Holman was hired to improve the sound quality of Apple’s iPhones and Macbooks, but the anonymous Chronicle source claims that Holman is developing technology to monitor the sound that blood makes as it flows through the arteries, using sound anomalies or “turbulence” to detect the onset of heart attacks and warn the user to seek medical attention. The Apple iWatch would be the most logical recipient of such technology, especially given the recent acquisitions of a host of other medical engineers specializing in body monitoring and wearable devices.
Apple Has Met With the FDA
Apple has already met with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) concerning “mobile medical applications,” although it is still unknown whether the Apple iWatch was the device being discussed. iClarified reports that in December 2013, FDA records show that Apple’s Senior Vice President of Operations Jeff Williams met with Drs. Margaret Hamburg and Jeffery Shuren, who are responsible for FDA approval of medical devices. Bill Kreher, an analyst at Edward Jones, remarked that such technology—if ever successfully developed—could open up the sizable medical devices field to Apple: “It could be part of a larger portfolio of solutions aimed at the broader ecosystem of health care,” he said. “That would be fascinating to watch.”
Rumors About iWatch Abound
The rumor mill is in full swing regarding the Apple iWatch, even though the company has yet to even confirm it is working on the project. Despite this, the iWatch has a long list of potential attributes and special features that have analysts buzzing, including the ability to monitor bodily functions like sleep or more advanced metrics like blood glucose levels, kidney function, heart rate, temperature, and—the latest—predicting heart attacks. Whether all or even any of these functions actually make it into an iWatch, Apple has certainly garnered a lot of attention for a product that is still wholly theoretical.
Do you think that the iWatch will usher in a new era of health monitoring?
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