Apple activated an intriguing new feature on its watch last month. The watch will perform a mobile electrocardiogram (ECG) and thus become the first mass-consumer medical device.
The ECG - which is only available in America at the moment - notifies users of a condition called atrial fibrillation, an irregular heartbeat that can lead to conditions such as stroke or heart failure. The watch already tells users if they have a fast or slow heartbeat, and will call emergency services if they fall and fail to get up.
There are rumours that Apple is trying to develop a glucose-monitoring function, and features could be developed that offer an early warning of the onset of Parkinson’s or monitor recovery from a disease or operation.
文本选自：The Economist（经济学人）
作者：N.L.
原文标题：Will wearable devices make us healthier?
原文发布时间：02 Jan. 2019
背景知识：
近几年来，家庭日常医疗产品市场的火爆可谓一年胜似一年，像什么体脂称、血压仪、心率检测仪等。仿佛一夜之间我们日常的健康检测手段从只有一根温度计到百花齐放。上个月，苹果在其手表上推出了一个有意思的新功能。这款手表将搭载移动心电图测试功能，苹果手表此次将从一款健康检测产品，摇身一变成为一款医疗器械。我们必须承认的是，苹果手表的心电图检测功能既然通过了FDA的指定项目批准，那就意味着是有一定的健康意义的。而在频繁的异常状况提醒之下，有人将会对这些提醒熟视无睹。那么，就很可能忽略一些比较危险的信号，造成不良后果的发生。
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