Apple Watch Could Help Treat Sickle Cell Disease Symptoms, Study Suggests

The Apple Watch can help treat a key symptom of sickle cell disease and changes to Apple's speech recognition algorithm could help people with a stutter, new studies propose.

apple watch series 6 product red back
According to a study conducted by researchers at Duke University's Day Hospital (via MyHealthyApple), the Apple Watch could help treat vaso-occlusive crises (VOCs), a key complication caused by sickle cell disease that often hospitalizes patients due to severe pain. The research indicates that machine learning using the Apple Watch's collected health data can discover trends to predict pain among people with sickle cell disease, which could provide an early warning signal and enable treatment via painkillers and saline hydration before it becomes more severe.

Researchers enrolled patients with sickle cell disease to Day Hospital for a VOC between July 2021 and September 2021 into the study, providing them with an Apple Watch Series 3 for the duration of their visit. 15,683 data points from the Apple Watch's heart rate, heart rate variability, and activity data were cross-referenced with pain scores and vital signs from the hospital's electronic medical record to create a machine learning model to predict VOCs.

In another newly published study submitted by Colin Lea, a research scientist at Apple who works on machine learning and accessibility related features, it is proposed that changes to Apple's speech recognition algorithm and machine learning could help alleviate problems for people with a stutter, significantly reducing cut-off utterances and word error rates by almost 80 percent.

Related Forum: Apple Watch

Top Rated Comments

MayaUser Avatar
14 months ago
This Apple Watch started slow, with nobody knowing what it can do or how can it be usefull....and in 10 years can be a must have health accessory
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
vicviper789 Avatar
14 months ago
I wish there was a feature to zap my wrist when I go to pick up a donut
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheYayAreaLiving ?️ Avatar
14 months ago
Another reason why Apple Watch is the best ⌚️ watch in this world. ?
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Crowbot Avatar
14 months ago

This Apple Watch started slow, with nobody knowing what it can do or how can it be usefull....and in 10 years can be a must have health accessory
Right. I realized the benefit of the Apple Watch the first time I fell (not serious) and the fall detection went off. It makes me feel safer.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sdz Avatar
14 months ago

There's so much untapped potential in Apple Watch still to come with new sensors down the road.

Personally, I would love to see Apple venture into mental wellbeing - for example, imagine the watch is able to tell when you are stressed or anxious, and then it interrupts that unproductive pattern by offering instructions to breathe or meditate.

Could be a game changer for people who chronically worry or stress.
Hey you! Put that glass of wine down! *Vibration intensifies*
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Rogifan Avatar
14 months ago

Right. I realized the benefit of the Apple Watch the first time I fell (not serious) and the fall detection went off. It makes me feel safer.
I just fell the other day (not serious either). Was out for a walk and tripped on an uneven sidewalk. Fall detection did go off. It’s a good thing to have.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

maxresdefault

Apple to Launch New iPad Pro and iPad Air Models in May

Thursday March 28, 2024 11:07 am PDT by
Apple will introduce new iPad Pro and iPad Air models in early May, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Gurman previously suggested the new iPads would come out in March, and then April, but the timeline has been pushed back once again. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Apple is working on updates to both the iPad Pro and iPad Air models. The iPad Pro models will...
General Apps Messages

Google Reveals When to Expect RCS Support on iPhone for Improved Texting With Android Users

Friday March 29, 2024 7:14 am PDT by
In November, Apple announced that the iPhone would support the cross-platform messaging standard RCS (Rich Communication Services) in the Messages app starting "later" in 2024, and Google has now revealed a more narrow timeframe. In a since-deleted section of the revamped Google Messages web page, spotted by 9to5Google, Google said that Apple would be adopting RCS on the iPhone in the "fall...
airtag new orange

Criminals in Montreal Using AirTags to Steal Vehicles

Friday March 29, 2024 12:50 pm PDT by
Thieves in Montreal, Canada have been using Apple's AirTags to facilitate vehicle theft, according to a report from Vermont news sites WCAX and NBC5 (via 9to5Mac). Police officers in Burlington, Vermont have issued a warning about AirTags for drivers who recently visited Canada. Two Burlington residents found Apple AirTags in their vehicles after returning from trips to Montreal, and these...
top stories 30mar2024

Top Stories: WWDC 2024 Announced, New iPads Delayed, and More

Saturday March 30, 2024 6:00 am PDT by
Apple's WWDC 2024 dates have been announced, giving us timing for the unveiling of the company's next round of major operating system updates and likely some other announcements. This week also saw some disappointing news on the iPad front, with update timing for the iPad Pro and iPad Air pushed back from previous rumors. We did hear some new tidbits about what might be coming in iOS 18 and...
iphone 16 cases sonny dickson 1

First iPhone 16 Cases Outline New Rear Vertical Camera Bump

Friday March 29, 2024 4:09 am PDT by
Photos of the first iPhone 16 cases have been shared online, offering another preview of the rumored new vertical rear camera arrangement on the standard iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus. Image credit: Accessory leaker Sonny Dickson Over the last few months, Apple has been experimenting with different camera bump designs for the standard iPhone 16 models, all of which have featured a vertical ...
Apple iPhone 15 Pro spatial video capture lifestyle

$3 App Shoots Better Quality Spatial Video Than iPhone's Camera App

Friday March 29, 2024 4:48 am PDT by
A $3 third-party app can now record spatial video on iPhone 15 Pro models in a higher resolution than Apple's very own Camera app. Thanks to an update first spotted by UploadVR, Spatialify can now record spatial videos with HDR in 1080p at 60fps or in 4K at 30fps. In comparison, Apple's native Camera app is limited to recording spatial video in 1080p at 30fps. Shortly after Apple's Vision ...