Radboudumc is investigating the use of smartwatch to detect coronavirus

Radboudumc is working together with Google subsidiary Verily to investigate whether cases of the corona virus can be determined on the basis of measurements with a smartwatch. The Radboudumc’s existing Parkinson’s research group is used for this.

Verily smartwatch

The watch measures the heart rate and the electrical resistance of the skin, says research leader and professor Bas Bloem of the Nijmegen University on Radio 1. The latter fluctuates based on the quality of sleep and fever. It is unknown which smartwatch it is, but Verily introduced a smartwatch for clinical research a few years ago and Radboudumc may be using it.

There are a total of 650 participants in the Parkinson’s research group, all of whom will eventually be included in the corona tests. Test participants who already have or have even had the coronavirus are given questionnaires to fill in so that the historical data of their smartwatches can be compared with the course of their specific cases of illness.

Bloem argues that if this method of disease detection works, the smartwatch may also be able to detect other conditions. Things like the heart rate and the electrical resistance of the skin fluctuate not only with the coronavirus, but also with other conditions.