Google is quite well known for its Pixel line of smartphones. They have been Google's version of what Android should be, offering features exclusive to the Pixel lineup, adding up to the Android experience. The devices have been dubbed one of, if not the best camera smartphone on offer, irrespective of the price. Add to this the Pixel design, which is muted and tasteful and, you have a great phone. That being said, the Pixel is set to get a new feature, allowing the device to track your heart rate. Interesting, is it not?
What is This All About
Google is all set to add heart rate and respiratory rate monitors to the Google Fit App, present on Pixel devices later this month. It also plans to add them to other devices. This tech will rely on the phone's camera, allowing the user to measure their respiratory rate by checking the rise and fall of a user's chest and heart tracking, by tracking the change of blood colour as the finger moves through the finger.
Do note, however, this feature is intended for wellness tracking and cannot diagnose any medical conditions, so treat it as an aid rather than a professional tool. As for how it works. to measure the number of breaths per minute, users are required to point the front-facing camera of their Pixel at their chest as well as the head. As for the heart rate tracking, users need to place their finger on the rear camera.
Credits: Google
This, for those of you unaware, is a feature quite similar to what Samsung included on its older Galaxy phones, such as the S10 and below. The feature was removed from other devices of the S series lineup, which was a downgrade of sorts in comparison to previous models.
As for clearance, since the feature is described as a tool for general wellness, Google is unable of performing medical functions with the same, meaning that it does not require clearance from the FDA for the feature.
This is unlike what Apple has done in some cases, wherein the Apple Watch and its features are required to go through the FDA and require clearance for use.
