The internet is going mad about the soon-to-come launch of the Apple Watch. After checking out what it actually can do. some people think it´s a useless marketing fad, other feel it´s the best thing since sliced bread. Via Twitter, Wall Street Journal writer Geoffrey Fowler asked:
What do you wish the Apple Watch could do next? Door key? Subway pass? Send me your best, and we’ll use them on @WSJD pic.twitter.com/jCRiEk2c5e
— Geoffrey Fowler (@geoffreyfowler) 8. April 2015
For me, the true challenge would be turning it into a piece of positive technology. Here are my three ideas:
- As far as I know, the Apple Watch can check my pulse. Then a fine-tuned app could very well detect irregular patterns or longer breaks to a pretty high degree of certainty. As such, it could possibly detect symptoms of an impending cardiac arrest – and then send a emergency SMS using GPS data.
- As far as I know, the Apple Watch can record my speech (the iPhone can). As such, it could be used to prevent depression. There is some evidence that usage of certain words, but also certain speech characteristics (e.g., prosody) are predictive of depressive symptoms. If a person is prone to this kind of disorder, a speech recorder could automatically capture sound bites at random intervals over the day. If the elements of “depressive speech” increase over several days based on appropriate algorithms, the Apple Watch could notify the owner – or his/her doctor.
- As far as I know, the Apple Watch can mow my lawn. Oh wait, it can´t? Well…
What are your ideas?
Mappalicious 