Tech firm Garmin teams up with a non-profit organization to help researchers conduct studies on the implications and effects of COVID-19.
Garmin users can share their data to help researchers study the implications and effects of the 2019 coronavirus disease.
Registered users’ health data from Garmin smartwatches can now be connected to PhysioQ’s Neo, a self-monitoring system that allows users to proactively monitor their and their family members’ vitals through the Neo mobile app.
Users can register their family members on Neo and keep track of their blood oxygen saturation (SpO2), heart rate, respiration rate, sleep, and body temperature and receive real-time updates.
This will help users keep track of their family members’ health, especially the elderly whose abnormal readings could indicate underlying health issues.
Blood oxygen saturation (SpO2)
The ideal blood oxygen saturation level should be between 95 to 100 percent. According to the World Health Organization’s Interim Guidance on COVID-19, patients suffering from COVID-19 have seen their SpO2 levels drop below 93 percent.
Respiration rate
Tracking respiration rate is valuable for monitoring overall health and well-being. A normal respiration rate for a resting adult ranges from 12 to 20 breaths per minute (brpm) and this will change depending on activity levels. The respiration rate for patients suffering from COVID-19 have been monitored to go up to 30 breaths per minute.
Heart rate
Heart rate can vary from person to person, depending on age and fitness levels. Resting heart rate is used as a key indicator of heart health and ranges from 60bpm to 100bpm. It is recommended for users to wear a smartwatch to track their heart rate throughout the day and night for a more accurate understanding of their heart rate data.
Users are encouraged to opt in to donate their health data to PhysioQ. The donated data will be anonymized and aggregated to aid medical researchers globally in the study to combat COVID-19 and other future pandemics.
Data from PhysioQ has been used by researchers in top institutions including Harvard University, Berkeley University, Boston University, McGill University, and Massachusetts General Hospital Research Institute, to name a few.
PhysioQ’s Neo app will be available on Android and iOS platforms for free and is compatible with Garmin’s range of smartwatches that tracks SpO2, including the latest Venu, vívoactive 4 series, vívosmart 4, vívomove 3 series, Forerunner 245 and 245 Music, Forerunner 945, fēnix 5X+, fēnix 6 series, and Approach S62.
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