Can wearable technology revolutionise healthcare through early detection?

In today’s tech-driven world, wearable devices are emerging arsenic transformative tools successful healthcare. From tracking steps and bosom rates to monitoring slumber patterns and accent levels, wearables clasp the committedness of aboriginal detection and improved wellness management. Some doctors are excited astir catching wellness problems aboriginal utilizing these devices, but this imaginable comes with challenges that indispensable beryllium addressed to afloat integrate these tools into the healthcare ecosystem.

In speech with indianexpress.com, experts measurement successful connected some the committedness and limitations of this rapidly evolving technology.

Wearable ECG (electrocardiogram) and PPG (photoplethysmography) technologies person made important strides successful cardiac monitoring. (Source: Freepik)

Respiratory wellness monitoring: existent capabilities and aboriginal potential

Wearables look akin limitations successful the realm of respiratory health. Dr Shivakumar K, MD respiratory medicine and main advisor astatine Kauvery Hospital, Marathahalli, said, “Currently, wearables cannot diagnose conditions similar asthma or COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), which necessitate objective assessments specified arsenic spirometry and lung relation tests.”

While features similar biosensors and pulse oximetry assistance continuous monitoring, their accuracy tin vary. “Measurements similar VO2 max and SpO2 levels whitethorn person mistake margins of 2–15 per cent,” said Dr Kuldeep Kumar Grover, consultant, Pulmonology, CK Birla Hospital, Gurugram. These features are invaluable tools for continuous wellness monitoring.

He adds that though wearables connection promising capabilities, they are not ever wholly accurate. “For instance, they whitethorn person a borderline of mistake of ±3% successful definite measurements. VO2 max values whitethorn beryllium overestimated by arsenic overmuch arsenic 15%, portion SpO2 levels tin person an mistake borderline of astir 2%.”

Dr Vikas Mittal, pulmonologist and director, Wellness Home Clinic and Sleep Centre Pashim Vihar, and director, section of respiratory medicine, C K Birla Hospital, Punjabi Bagh, acknowledges the imaginable of wearable devices arsenic supplementary tools. “While wearables are adjuvant for tracking respiratory metrics, determination is inactive country for betterment successful their reliability, particularly successful real-time detection of aboriginal respiratory issues.”

Variables similar movement, temperature, oregon artillery levels tin power readings, helium said. Enhancing the reliability of wearables, particularly for real-time monitoring, could impact improving sensor exertion and refining the algorithms that construe this data.

The Artificial Intelligence gyration successful wearable technology

The integration of artificial quality could beryllium the cardinal to unlocking the afloat imaginable of wearable wellness technology. Sajeev Nair, laminitis and president of Vieroots, offers an optimistic position connected this convergence: “AI tin decidedly amended the accuracy of analysing the information from these devices, arsenic owed to their 24×7 monitoring of metrics similar bosom beats, humor sweetener oregon slumber patterns, these wearables thin to make a batch of information noise.”

He said that singular innovations similar the advent of AI based wellness ace apps that usage a emblematic camera to bash an AI Face Scan “that works similar a bloodless humor test,” uncover “vital wellness metrics including humor glucose and bosom complaint variability.”

Wearables are progressively effectual successful assessing definite neurological indicators similar slumber patterns and accent levels. (Source: Freepik)

Neurological monitoring: A caller frontier

Wearables are progressively utilized to measure neurological health, tracking slumber patterns, stress levels, and adjacent aboriginal signs of disorders similar Parkinson’s disease.

“By monitoring centrifugal patterns and cognitive shifts, wearables tin emblem abnormalities for further investigation,” said Dr Chandril Chugh, elder neurologist and manager of Dr Good Deed Clinic. However, challenges stay successful tailoring devices to idiosyncratic needs and ensuring information accuracy.

Concurring, Dr Sandip Pal, a neurologist from Kolkata and a subordinate of Doctube, said that this, successful turn, volition assistance the patients to negociate their information much efficaciously portion proactively reducing stress-related neurological symptoms. “Algorithms whitethorn miss subtle changes successful neurological function, particularly successful aboriginal illness stages,” cautions neurologist Dr Pal.

Advanced sensors and information security

Innovations successful sensor exertion are expanding wearable capabilities. “Flexible micro-nano fibre (MNFs) sensors, packed successful a 10-µm film, tin observe subtle changes successful pressure, temperature, and strain, enabling much precise monitoring,” said Ashu Kasera, co-founder and CTO astatine Clirnet. Manish Tewari, co-founder, Spydra Technologies, said that “new technologies that could accommodate the improvement of miniaturised sensors susceptible of monitoring a assortment of biologic markers, including glucose, hydration, and adjacent lactate successful sweat, are becoming available.”

However, arsenic wearables cod delicate wellness data, information information becomes paramount. Kasera said determination is simply a request for “setting up a structured information absorption strategy with layered information for information extortion and travel control.”

Tewari said that information tin beryllium achieved done “data encryption technologies that unafraid information, unafraid clouds, adjacent done compliance with ineligible norms and regulations specified arsenic HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act),” introduced successful the United States.

The aboriginal of healthcare monitoring

While wearables cannot regenerate objective diagnostics, they are carving retired a niche successful preventive healthcare and continuous monitoring.

Future advancements could see sensors susceptible of measuring lung relation and respiratory distress markers, according to Dr Shivakumar. Meanwhile, improving sensor exertion and refining algorithms volition heighten real-time monitoring.

“Patients should recognize the limitations of wearable exertion and consult healthcare providers for concerns,” said Dr Mittal. Conditions affecting humor flow, for example, tin skew readings, underscoring the value of nonrecreational oversight.