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Fitbit wearers can also opt in to be part of the PROTECT Study at Stanford University. There, researchers are using data collected from users of Fitbit, three other smartwatches — including Apple Watch — and one smart ring. Specifically, Dr. Michael Snyder’s laboratory at Stanford is studying data from smartwatch users who have a confirmed or suspected case of coronavirus, have been exposed to someone who has a confirmed or suspected case, or are at a higher risk of exposure, such as health care or grocery store employees.
One of the metrics Snyder and his team are focusing on is how a smartwatch can measure heart rate and body temperature.
Heart rate is the number of times a heart beats in one minute. Though it can vary greatly from person to person, the normal resting heart rate for an adult is between 60 and 100. A lower rate means a person is in peak cardiovascular shape. Unusual numbers on the high or low scale could indicate an underlying illness. The challenge is that a heart rate can spike because of various factors including age, smoking, high cholesterol, diabetes, activity, weight and medications.
When you’re sick, “your heart rate goes up before you’re congested. … So, worst-case scenario, it goes up around the time you’re feeling yucky, but it probably goes up before that, we think,” Snyder explained.
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