Wrist-worn trackers can detect Covid before symptoms, study finds

Researchers say health trackers can be used to spot Covid 19 days before symptoms appear.

There are growing numbers of people using the devices to monitor their health. The data could be combined with artificial intelligence to diagnose Covid-19 before the first signs of the disease appear.

Wearable sensor technology can be used to detect Covid-19. The results were published in a journal.

The discovery could lead to health trackers being used to detect Covid-19 early. It could help to give an early warning system to users that they may be affected by the disease, which would help to prevent the spread of the disease more widely.

The fertility tracker that people can buy online to track the best time to have a baby was tested by researchers from several universities. Breathing rate, heart rate, heart rate variability, wrist skin temperature and blood flow are monitored.

The study found that 1,163 people under the age of 51 were followed from the start of the Pandemic to April 2020. They were told to wear the bracelet at night so that they could save data. It takes four hours for people to sleep.

The bracelets were used to record any activities that could affect the results, such as alcohol, prescription medication and recreational drugs. The Covid-19 symptoms were recorded.

The people in the study took regular tests for Covid-19 as well as a test for symptoms.

Of the 127 people who were confirmed with Covid-19, 66 had worn their device for at least 29 days and were included in the analysis.

The study found that there were significant changes in the body during the time before symptoms appeared and the time after, compared to non-infection.

Two days before their symptoms appeared, 32% of Covid-19 positive people were correctly identified by the health tracker and computer program. Not all Covid cases were captured according to the team.

The findings suggest that a machine learning algorithm may be a promising tool for presymptomatic or asymptomatic detection of Covid-19.

Wearable sensor technology is an easy-to-use, low-cost method for allowing individuals to track their health and wellbeing during a Pandemic.

The research shows how these devices and artificial intelligence can help push the boundaries of personalized medicine and detect illnesses before they happen.

The symptoms of Covid-19 can take several days to show up, which can make it hard for someone to spread the disease.

A larger group of 20,000 people in the Netherlands are currently being tested on the program.