Samsung, UCSF launch app to monitor your stress levels
The My BP Lab mobile app is also part of a wider research project.


By Charlie Osborne for Between the Lines | February 26, 2018 -- 10:14 GMT (21:14 AEDT) | Topic: Innovation

• At Mobile World Congress 2018 in Barcelona, Spain, the South Korean tech giant launched the firm's latest flagship devices, the Samsung Galaxy 9 and Galaxy 9 Plus.
  
  These smartphones feature a swathe of upgrades in comparison to their predecessors, including an improved camera, video, and biometric scanning.
  
  However, these new products will also support the new My BP Lab mobile app, which Samsung and UCSF say will "help users monitor their blood pressure and stress levels and obtain personalized insights for improving their daily health."
  
  In a news release, the pair said the research app has been made possible through the Samsung Galaxy 9's optical sensor.
  
  
  This sensor allows for improved contextual information about a user's wellbeing and according to Samsung, blood pressure can be "directly measured" without the need for any additional accessories or hardware.
  
  
  
  My BP Lab users are able to access information related to their stress levels and blood pressure throughout the day and can also join the UCSF research program by doing so.
  
  The three-week study is voluntary and collects data with the overall aim of refining the accuracy of blood pressure readings by gathering information from users in "real-world settings."
  
  It may be that mobile sensors can provide more accurate readings in comparison to those taken in a doctor's surgery, for example, where blood pressure and stress may rise because of the environment.
  
  In addition, participants will have their stress and blood pressure measured during the day in relation to sleep patterns, exercise, and diet. This information will likely prove valuable to researchers but may also help users learn more about their own wellbeing.
  
  
  "This study could provide the largest dataset yet on stress, daily emotional experiences, and blood pressure," said Wendy Berry Mendes, professor of psychiatry at UCSF and Director of the Emotion, Health, and Psychophysiology Lab. "Our partnership with Samsung could help people all over the world improve their health by managing stress."
  
  My BP Lab will be available to download from the Google Play Store on March 15, but will only be available to adults in the United States.

Running AI on the data. Great project.


Where and when will the new health initiative move

1. To the wrist; with the Gear X, then all the Gears.

2. To the ear- the Iconx 18, or maybe 19, or maybe an Iconx X

3.To special edition devices aimed at the United Healthcares of the world.

Use this as a good model for a Tier 1 with all the reach that separates them from the lessor crowd.

They have the resources to make NEW sensors, write new algos that go with them and forge partnership of merit with University health centers.
The adjacent possible within just this Tier 1 is a vast space.

I look forward to reading what the large amount of data they collect with UCSF has to say.

Am thinking over that a wrist device or a hearable would allow BP measurements at times when they are NOT likely to get data- driving, sleeping,
etc. A much more complete data set for more insights......that is a pretty good reason to do it?

Voice activated,  " BP please".  "  Vital signs now."

this snip

 in relation to sleep patterns,

who will wake up to take a measurement?