The Apple Watch Can Become Your Personal Digital Pool Attendant, Alert Swimmers Who Are In Potential Danger, According To New Patent

In addition to their health-focused capabilities that have alerted wearers to seek medical help, different models of the Apple Watch also include emergency features like Crash Detection for car accidents. It is remarkable how much Apple can pack into its smartwatch, and they have plans to add even more. According to a recent patent filing, the company is now focusing on swimmers and how the Apple Watch can serve as a digital pool assistant, alerting them or those nearby of potential hazards.

The Life-Saving Potential of an Apple Watch based on Sensor Data

According to an article from PatentlyApple, the average person can typically hold their breath for around 30 seconds, while a trained individual can extend this time up to 2 minutes. However, being submerged in water for 4-6 minutes can cause permanent physical harm and even lead to drowning. To address this issue, upcoming Apple Watch models may utilize sensor data to detect signs of drowning and send out an alert to multiple devices if the swimmer displays abnormal behavior while underwater.

This latest model of the Apple Watch is capable of triggering an alarm in any freshwater pool, whether it be a public or private swimming pool, or a natural freshwater pool. As demonstrated in FIG. 1, a swimmer wearing the smartwatch on their wrist, identified as user #100, can have their swimming performance analyzed and various metrics tracked by the watch. In the event of irregular behavior or distress, as shown in FIG. 2, the smartwatch’s embedded wireless transceiver can send out a radio frequency (RF) message.

Future Apple Watch models could become your personal digital pool assistant

This message would be transmitted to devices labeled #102, located on the pool deck or in the pool area, including smartphones, tablet computers, smartwatches, laptop computers, and a monitoring and control station. The owners of these labeled devices can receive the message through an audible alert or haptic feedback on their displays, enabling them to alert others and aid any swimmer in need.

According to Apple’s patent background, drowning is responsible for more than 3,500 deaths annually in the United States and is the fifth-leading cause of accidental death in the region. While the new Apple Watch models have the potential to address this prevalent issue, it is important to note that a patent filing does not guarantee the production of such a product. Nevertheless, the possibility of saving numerous lives through the implementation of this feature gives us optimism that Apple will find a way to incorporate it into a future smartwatch.

The US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) provided the news source for the following information: USPTO