1 week Ago By Joe Gallop
Google is expanding the health and safety capabilities of its Pixel Watch 3, with the rollout of a new Loss of Pulse Detection feature now underway in the US. The update, which uses the watch’s optical heart rate sensors to detect when a wearer’s pulse stops, could be a game-changer in emergency response situations such as cardiac arrest, respiratory failure, or even poisoning. Initially launched alongside the Pixel Watch 3 in August 2024, the feature was previously limited to select European markets while Google awaited regulatory approval in the US.
The green light finally came in February this year, after clearance from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The watch uses advanced passive and active sensing algorithms to monitor pulse activity once per second. If the device detects an absent pulse, it initiates a staged alert process: first prompting the wearer to confirm they’re okay, and if there’s no response, escalating with audible alerts before finally calling emergency services and sharing the wearer’s location.
While Google notes the feature is not a substitute for medical-grade monitoring – and isn’t designed for users with pre-existing cardiac conditions – it’s being lauded for its potential to provide emergency intervention in critical moments, especially when incidents go unwitnessed. According to Google, nearly half of all cardiac arrest events occur when no one else is present. Google analysed over 100,000 hours of heart rate data and even published its findings in the journal Nature to back the science behind it.
To activate the feature, Pixel Watch 3 users need to ensure the Personal Safety Wear OS app is updated and can enable it via the Pixel Watch companion app under Safety & Emergency settings. The feature will be made available to both new and existing Pixel Watch 3 owners over the coming weeks in a phased rollout. While it’s currently only live in the US, it’s expected that Australia could follow suit pending local regulatory approval.
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