Google study screens for hypertension from smartwatch sensors
Google Research and clinical collaborators published a Nature study using photoplethysmography and accelerometer signals to screen for persistent hypertension without cuff calibration. A prospective five-site study included 196 participants and compared predictions with 24-hour ambulatory monitoring.
Why it matters: The work tests a passive screening route using sensors already present in consumer wearables and anchors evaluation to a clinical reference. Moderate sensitivity and the small confirmatory subgroup still make it a research prompt for formal assessment, not a…