According to the list published by the United States Trademark and Patent Office (USPTO), Apple has obtained a health-related technology patent that can use the iPhone and Apple Watch to analyze the wearer’s respiratory system.
Apple says people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, or other airway-related conditions may experience reduced airflow (also known as “airway obstruction”) when breathing, resulting in difficulty breathing.
The most commonly used breath test, spirometry, is less accurate and reproducible than expected and often requires the assistance and supervision of a clinician.
In the patent, Apple outlines a system for measuring the user’s breathing function. Through the optical sensing unit on the iPhone, the breathing movement of the user’s torso can be detected, and the breathing can be measured through the corresponding algorithm.
Another way is to modify the Apple Watch, fix it on the wearer’s chest with a special sticker, and then monitor the wearer’s breathing characteristics. The patent illustration is as follows:
