If there is one thing that Apple smartwatches are famous for, it is the reliability of their measurements… and the amount of data they can read. From heart rate to sleep quality, passing through blood oxygen and body temperature.
Now, a new patent application from Apple could add a whole new dimension. According to Patently Apple, the tech giant has filed an application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office to help measure a user’s level of perspiration through electrodes located beneath the device.
This is a concept similar to the ECG (electrocardiogram) function offered by the Apple Watch Series 4, and although the request has not been granted, it is expected to be able to track fluid levels to help monitor hydration during a workout.
What can measuring a user’s sweat quantity be useful for?
The quantity and quality of perspiration is a new metric, even for the best smartwatches and the most advanced fitness trackers, and it has all kinds of applications, while also raising interesting questions and challenges: what happens when it rains or when you’re swimming?
However, there are still no indications that it can track the content of salt in sweat or other hydration biomarkers.
A previous report by Patently Apple in August 2021 also suggests that the data could be “permanent,” like an SpO2 monitor, suggesting that the Apple Watch could be capable of tracking hydration even outside of a workout.
It should also be noted that it is common for patents to remain as such, as companies seek to protect their best ideas, even those that are not successful. In other words, this patent does not mean that we will see an Apple Watch that measures sweat.
Naturally, accuracy is difficult to achieve with something like sweat tracking. Heavy rain or diving into the pool could lead to false positives, for example, and these are things that should be perfected before making it available to potential users.
However, data can have many applications. Blood sugar level analysis has been announced for the Apple Watch for years, and sweat can also be used to detect diseases.
