Apple's Seamlessly Embedded Heart Rate Monitor could turn the iPhone into a new-age mood ring

Nike is making millions from its Apple-friendly wares, designed to turned technophiles into fitness freaks. Imagine the possibilities if the iPhone could not only track your running stride but also monitor your heart rate while doing it. That's one of a suite of potential uses for this patent app from Apple, a Seamlessly Embedded Heart Rate Monitor. The design is for a series of electrodes that are, well, seamlessly embedded into the shell of a given device in such a way that they are "not visibly or haptically distinguishable on the device." The device could then, with a touch, measure heart-rate, uniquely identify a user, and even "determine the user's mood from the cardiac signals." Just imagine the new flood of EKG-related apps: iPalpitate, Murmur Maker, Cardiac Arrest... the possibilities are endless.

[Thanks, Staska]

[Bobot Posted May 6th 2010 10:12AM]

Any kind of working sensor on a multidevice is useful. At least this is an excuse for carrying a device which costs a small fortune (without stupid contracts, including apps we buy)

[bdkennedy1 Posted May 6th 2010 10:28AM]

Great. If I have a heart attack I can't call 911.

[adamrice Posted May 6th 2010 10:29AM]

If Apple would include an ANT+ receiver, then they could work with existing heart-rate sensors, and a lot of other human-performance sensors.

[Geckotek Posted May 6th 2010 10:29AM]

What would actually be useful is if it could connect to my chest strap for monitoring HR. I don't want to have to hold the stupid thing during my entire workout. FAIL

[iPhaze Posted May 6th 2010 10:41AM]

I honestly thought this thread would inspire people to say how great Apple was at trying to help people by implementing this new idea..

I thought people would respect the fact that they were adding a feature which would actually be beneficial - not just your average, run-of-the-mill eye-candy features..

But no. And I'm not surprised. More fool me. Again.

I read the comments because I might learn something else about the thread - but some of you just spoil it for everyone.

I personally think this is a great innovation as my girlfriend and I love to go running together and track each other's performance - nike+ is great for that! But with this added feature we could potentially actually see how tough it actually was for us both - I hope this is implemented in future models of the iPhone and potentially the iPod Touch / nano.

[fast Posted May 6th 2010 11:04AM]

@iPhaze wow, even your user name is the result of brain wash. "Respect" for a brand...geesh. It's a consumer grade toy. Get over it.

[SeeKo Posted May 6th 2010 11:11AM]

@iPhaze
The thing is, that you could not use this feature as you described. For that you would need to hold the iPhone with the embedded sensor in your hand for the whole run. Who would want that?

To monitor your heart rate for medical and sports purposes you need a permanent connection to your chest, wrist or maybe earlobe. That's no new Apple innovation. You can have it in any sports store.

What Apple is pursuing here is a biometric recognition feature instead of fingerprint scan and such. You could authenticate yourself my simply touching the phone. Can be cool too. But it's definitely no use for physical performance tests.

[jellotime91 Posted May 6th 2010 10:55AM]

That cuts off exactly where that seam was on the prototype iPhone.... Just sayin..

[bgphoenix Posted May 6th 2010 11:38AM]

iFartRate

Fart in the mic of the iPhone and see d change in your hreat rate as you fart, not a particularly useful app, but neither is TalkingCarl....

[ipso Posted May 6th 2010 11:59AM]

This is what the strategically placed "notches" on the new iPhone HD are for.

From my Engadget comment on April 23rd, did I call it or what:

http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/22/apples-next-iphone-what-we-know-and-what-we-dont/comments/27368790/

[saposmak Posted May 6th 2010 12:15PM]

@ipso If that functionality is available in the next iPhone, that would be amazing.

[saposmak Posted May 6th 2010 12:12PM]

@david1984 LOL @ this comment.

[Pyronick Posted May 6th 2010 12:15PM]

Would have been more interesting if it would handle Bluetooth Low Power, there will be more than enough heartbeat sensors and running/jogging/racing accelerometers for BLP 4.0 soon enough.

[drewster4590 Posted May 6th 2010 12:23PM]

Title should read: Apple's Seamlessly Embedded Heart Rate Monitor is turning the iPhone into a Tricorder.

[Dark Side of the Moon Posted May 6th 2010 12:24PM]

Kudos to Apple for getting a patent on an already well-known & widely published technology. Just do a Google Scholar search on "ECG Biometrics". A couple of examples from the myriad of public results:

Gerd Wubbeler et al "Verification of humans using the electrocardiogram" Pattern Recognition Letters, Volume 28, Issue 10, 15 July 2007 (http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/B6V15-4N0X5JH-3/2/84ef57b1c0887d533c9a828c76eb0625).
or
Steven A. Israel et al, "ECG to identify individuals" Pattern Recognition Volume 38, Issue 1, January 2005 (http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/B6V14-4D5JSK2-4/2/add1dadbc922b452f7b594865bed5c42).

[Biornus Posted May 7th 2010 7:13AM]

Gief cheststrap with bt heartrate monitor.