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Google's new health watch will keep tabs on patients' vitals

Google unveiled a new wearable today, though it won't be competing with the Apple Watch any time soon. Developed by Google X (the company's advanced research division), the experimental device is geared specifically for clinical research. It monitors not just the wearer's stats (including pulse, heart rhythm and temperature) but also environmental variables like light and noise levels as well.

This device could be a boon to medical research as it allows doctors to continually gather important data on their patients in real life conditions. "Historically, doctors do everything -- patients just need to turn up at the trial site," Kara Dennis, managing director of mobile health at Medidata, told Bloomberg. "Now, we're asking patients to take on meaningful responsibility in gathering information." Google plans to partner with academic institutions to ensure the device's accuracy before seeking regulatory approval in both the US and Europe later this summer.

[Image Credit: Google]