Smart-watches for medicine. Review

Abstract

Modern wearable devices have evolved from simple pedometers to complex multi-sensor systems providing continuous and non-invasive monitoring of a wide range of physiological parameters. This transition is transforming consumer gadgets into tools for preventive medicine and biomedical research. This analytical review focuses on the physical principles underlying the recording of physiological parameters and their potential application for health monitoring. The key technology of the smart-watches is the method of optical photoplethysmography which allows for the recording the modulation of reflected scattered light flux by pulsating blood flow. Smart-watch functionality, recently expanded to include electrocardiogram measurements, offers additional opportunities for medical application of these gadgets. The most anticipated features include arterial blood pressure and biochemical monitoring via smart-watches. The second part of the review provides a detailed analysis of the physiological characteristics that can be derived from the physical signals recorded by smart-watches. The third part outlines medical applications,
and the forth describes the diagnostic value of the recorded physiological parameters, as well as the possibility of potential using of the obtained data in medical practice.