Apple Watch new feature can identify irregular heart rhythms

The Apple Watch is one of the most popular time pieces of this era due to its slick design and nifty features.

A new development has made it even more enticing to the public, as Apple launched a new app that will allow the company to gather irregular heart rhythm data from  the watches’ heart rate sensors.

Dubbed as The Apple Heart Study app, the extremely helpful feature will be able to detect  irregularities and send notifications to watch owners who may be unknowingly suffering from atrial fibrillation (AFib).

The medical initiative was first launched last September as part of the watchOS 4, The Verge reports.

In partnership with experts from Stanford University, Apple hopes to collect heart rate data, which could further aid patients, doctors and researchers to detect and cure heart irregularities.

“Working alongside the medical community, not only can we inform people of certain health conditions, we also hope to advance discoveries in heart science,” Apple’s chief operating officer, Jeff Williams, said in a statement.

Heart rate is measured by green LED lights flashing hundreds of times per second, as well as photodiodes, which monitor the amount of blood flowing through the wrists.

Moreover, Apple Watch users who took part in the survey will be notified through their devices if an irregular heartbeat is detected.

Those who will be flagged will also receive free consultation with a study doctor and an electrocardiogram (EKG) patch for further observation.

As of wiring, the app is available only in the US App store and accepts users 22 years or older. They must also possess an Apple Watch Series 1 or later model.  Khristian Ibarrola /ra