New Apple health study combines data from Watch, iPhone and AirPods
Following major heart and hearing studies, Apple is once again launching a "Health Study". This time, data is being combined in collaboration with universities.
Apple Health Study: New holistic approach.
(Image: Apple)
Apple's devices collect exciting data for researchers – via motion sensors, heart rate measurement, microphones and more. This information is either not stored at all or is only made available to the user. But you can also help science if you wish: Apple has implemented its own research interface called ResearchKit. Several major medical studies have already been carried out using this, for example on heart health, sleep and hearing. The company is now planning another project in collaboration with several universities: the "Holistic Apple Health Study", a study that will combine holistic health data collected by Apple devices.
Already 350,000 participants in previous studies
The team includes Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. "We have only just begun to scratch the surface of how technology can improve our understanding of human health," says cardiologist Calum MacRae, who will be the principal investigator at his university. Earlier Apple studies had already gathered many users: Hearing, heart and exercise studies had a total of 350,000 participants, as well as the "Apple Women's Health Study" on women's health.
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As usual, the new health study will be conducted centrally via the – Apple Research app, which is currently not available in Germany: –. Only people living in the United States are allowed to take part. The aim is to find out how current technical systems such as the iPhone, Apple Watch or AirPods can play a "role in improving physical and mental health" as well as general well-being. According to Apple, the study covers a range of health and disease areas, including physical activity, aging, cardiovascular health, circulatory health, cognition, hearing, menstrual health, mental health, metabolic health, neurological health, respiratory health, sleep and more.
Purely virtual study via Apple Research App
This goes further than previous studies that Apple has conducted with major universities. The longitudinal study is completely virtual, meaning that test subjects do not have to attend appointments with the researchers. The aim is to determine how Apple Watch, iPhone and co. – but also devices from other manufacturers – can be used to detect, monitor and predict changes in people's health.
Information on how many participants there will be was not initially provided – but thanks to the Apple Research app, it could be 100,000 people or more if enough people are interested.
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