In an exciting development, Google researchers have unlocked the potential of Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) headphones to serve as heart rate tracking devices, eliminating the need for additional hardware and making health monitoring more accessible and convenient.
Presented in a paper titled ‘APG: Audioplethysmography for Cardiac Monitoring with Hearable Devices’ at Mobicom 2023, Google researchers introduced an innovative in-ear health sensing modality that empowers ANC headphones to monitor vital physiological signals, including heart rate, without relying on supplementary sensors.
What sets this technology apart is its ability to provide accurate heart rate data without impacting the headphone’s battery life, regardless of the fit or seal conditions, working effectively with all skin tones, and remaining resistant to motion artifacts.
The process behind this revolutionary technology involves emitting a low-intensity ultrasound wave through the ANC headphone speakers and capturing the information reflected by the user’s body using the built-in microphones. According to Google, the ‘APG signal is a pulse-like waveform that syncs with the heartbeat and offers detailed cardiac information, including dicrotic notches.’
This groundbreaking research project spanned over eight months and involved 153 participants, and the results are nothing short of remarkable. APG technology outperforms the current light-based photoplethysmograms (PPG) and electrocardiograms (ECG) sensors in terms of weight, cost, and power consumption.
Google’s innovation doesn’t stop at research; they have envisioned an accessible future for this technology. According to Google, a simple software update could potentially transform any ANC-equipped headphones into a reliable heart rate sensor. This means that users can seamlessly monitor their heart rate while engaging in various activities, whether it’s enjoying music or working out.
This development represents a significant leap forward in the field of wearable health technology, democratizing heart rate monitoring and making it an integral part of everyday life. ANC headphones, already cherished for their noise-canceling capabilities, now hold the promise of safeguarding your heart health, too.
