Apple is working on a new feature for Apple Watch that will send alerts if the user drowns

In the future, the Apple Watch may be equipped with capabilities that can alert nearby users if someone wearing the device begins to drown in a body of water. According to a new patent application, the Cupertino-based tech giant is working on a feature that will be able to use the sensors present on the smartwatch to sense if a user is showing “erratic behavior” while swimming and underwater. Is in trouble. Notably, a recent report claimed that the Apple Watch Series 10 may feature an upgraded display that offers better battery life.

In a patent application filed with the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), Apple shared details of how this feature would work and highlighted the need for such a feature. The tech giant said in its application that every year in America alone, 3,500 people drown and lose their lives. Calling it “the fifth most common cause of accidental deaths in the country”, Apple said there is a need for drowning prevention systems.

Apple’s drowning alert system as shown in patent application
Photo Credit: Apple

However, the company’s proposed feature does not include any new sensors to detect when a user is drowning. Instead, it relies on existing sensors on the Apple Watch to interpret data whenever the user is in distress underwater. According to the patent application, the primary trigger for this will be its inertial sensor that will determine if the swimmer’s head, arms and torso are positioned in a way that indicates irregular behavior.

This data will then be confirmed with the Apple Watch’s heart rate sensor or blood oxygen sensor to determine if the user’s heart rate suddenly increased or VO2 max level suddenly dropped, which could indicate that the user About to drown. Data from the sensors will be run through a special machine learning algorithm to predict whether the user is actually drowning.

If a user is detected to be in danger of drowning, Apple Watch can send alerts to emergency service providers as well as nearby users and lifeguards. The company also highlighted that the system can also share similar alerts if a child is swimming in the pool and accidentally goes too deep. It is noted that this feature currently exists in the form of a patent application. It is not certain whether Apple will get a patent for this technology, and when the drowning warning feature will come to Apple Watch devices.