Apple Lossless Audio CODEC (ALAC), and Stanford are currently collaborating to develop new models of Apple Watch which have the ability to detect heart problems. We are talking about an extensive test that the Apple company is doing with those from Stanford, in which a variety of cardiologist doctors are involved, but also a telemedicine company that would allow the request of doctors' opinions regarding problems using the Internet.
The Apple Watch tested in this project would have a sensor for monitoring the heart rate, and the Apple Watch would analyze the readings over time to detect the possible existence of a problem. Apple would most likely use artificial intelligence to discover patterns in the irregular heart rhythm and could suggest that users do further investigation to see if there really is a problem.
Apple would almost turn its Apple Watch into a medical device with such functions, something that those from Cupertino don't really want because of the complications regarding their sale. Apple has been repeatedly rumored to be involved in various projects of this kind to test new medical functions for the Apple Watch, so it will be interesting if any of them will ever be released to users.
"One of the things that we've learned that we've been really surprised and delighted about is this device, because of the monitoring of the heart, has essentially alerted people through the collection of the data that they have a problem. And that spurred them to go to the doctor and say, 'Look at my heart rate data. Is something wrong?' And a not-insignificant number have found out if they hadn't come into the doctor they would have died."
