The newest generation of smart-watches offer heart rate monitoring technology via photoplethysmography, a technology shown to demonstrate impressive ability in diagnosing arrhythmias including atrial fibrillation. Combining such technology with the portability, connectivity and other location and activity tracking features smart-watches could represent a powerful new tool in extended non-invasive arrhythmia detection. The technology itself, including potential uses and limitations, is discussed. There is a need for further software development but crucially, further work into clarifying the diagnostic accuracy of such technology.
Keywords: Atrial fibrillation detection; Photoplethysmography; Smart-watch; Smartwatch.
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