Google turns its Pixel smartphones into heart rate monitors with a software update
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Google is giving its pixel smartphones fitness tracking functions: a software update will allow them to be used from March to measure pulse and breath. More Android smartphones will receive the feature later.
From March 2021, Google plans to equip its Pixel smartphones with new health functions with which the cameras on the back can be used to measure pulse and respiratory rate. According to the manufacturer, the data can be saved in the Google Fit app. Health problems cannot be reliably detected with the functions, they are only used to measure fitness data.
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Update turns pixel smartphones into heart rate monitors
Like Google in his blog entry explained, be it only necessary to place your finger on the main camera to measure your heart rate. According to Google, the camera can use the “strong sensors” and computer vision to measure the pulse through slight color changes in the blood flow in the finger.
The measurement of the respiratory rate by pixel smartphone takes place via the front camera. According to Google, users have to position themselves in an area displayed in the app and breathe for a while. The smartphone can measure the breathing rate based on the movements of the chest.
Google Pixel: New health features not suitable for medical diagnoses
Google points out in the blog post that the new functions are not intended for medical diagnoses or for evaluating diseases. They are only used to measure and track daily wellbeing via the Google Fit app. In the fitness app, you can measure your own physical fitness and track progress.
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The approach to measuring the pulse with the camera on the back is not completely new. Samsung incorporated this feature into some of its Galaxy S models years ago. As far as we know, one of the last devices with the feature ex works was the Galaxy S8 (test).
More on the topic: Pixel 5 in the test: Google’s answer to the iPhone 12
