Wouldn’t it be great if the smartwatch or step-counting device you wear on your wrist could alert you to the first signs of COVID-19? Developing this technology has become a major goal for a number of wearable monitoring device manufacturers, including Fitbit.
With a grant from the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command (USAMRDC) and a new partnership with Northwell Health, the company is coming closer to perfecting its coronavirus-detecting algorithm.
But it hasn’t been an easy process, and the results may not be as clear-cut as anyone had hoped.
Read on for an insightful look at Fitbit (and, by extension, the wearables industry)’s struggle to create a wearable device capable of detecting COVID-19.
A typical Fitbit fitness tracker bracelet
Contact Our Writer – Alysa Salzberg