The smartwatch on your wrist might one day be key to containing the spread of viruses like the one behind COVID-19. Stanford, Scripps Research and Fitbit have unveiled an initiative that, if successful, would use wearables to catch the early signs of infection. They’re developing algorithms that would look for the elevated heart rates and temperatures that frequently signal an immune system response. You could get a warning at the earliest stages of illness, even without symptoms, and isolate yourself before you infect anyone else.
The project will study data from five different wearables, each of which will have its own algorithm. Fitbit is both donating 1,000 smartwatches to the effort and promote awareness to its users, including the option to participate. Just how quickly the initiative wraps up will depend on the number of participants, Stanford said.