While most often, wearable devices are tailored toward users wanting to keep fit, Google is developing a new wearable device that will fill the niche of helping doctors be able to remotely monitor a patient's health.
The device is being developed by Google's experimental Google X lab, known for its "moonshot" projects like Google Glass and Project Loon.
"Our intended use is for this to become a medical device that's prescribed to patients or used for clinical trials," said Andy Conrad, head of Google's life sciences team.
The device can monitor a range of metrics, including heart rate and rhythm, skin temperature, noise levels and light exposure, metrics that might not be something that consumer fitness devices can monitor but that could provide important information about a patient and their surroundings.
This device is also different than consumer fitness tracking devices because of the fact that it is designed for accuracy. Scientifically, it is far more precise in taking readings, simply because there is a lot more at stake. Not only that, but unlike many other trackers, this device monitors metrics continuously.
Google eventually hopes that the device will be an important part of early prevention of a disease.
"I envision a day, in 20 or 30 years, where physicians give it to all patients," continued Conrad. "Prevention means all the time."
Google will begin testing the device in partnership with medical institutions and drug companies this summer and will seek regulatory approval in both the U.S. and Europe. Google also will be looking for a manufacturing partner for the device.
Despite Google's hopes, however, there have been many critics of using the wrist as a way to track heart rate, with devices like Apple's new Apple Watch using infrared light to measure changes in blood flow.
"But bones, tendons, muscles, and vascular structure of the wrist can interfere with the ability to accurately measure heart rate and other biometrics during exercise," said Dr. Steven LeBoeuf of Valencell.
This isn't the first time that we have heard of Google developing tools for medicine. Previously, news broke that the company had developed contact lenses that were capable of measuring glucose levels in tears. If Google releases the device, however, it will represent the first health-related piece of hardware from the company that is available to the public. Google has also developed health-related software such as Google Fit, which is found in Android and is able to track a number of metrics such as steps taken. Of course, Apple is also eager to compete, having released a similar platform called HealthKit.
