Apple and Stanford team up to monitor irregular heart rhythms with the Apple Watch

Apple has been quite determined to make the Apple Watch more than just an accessory or iPhone companion — it wants its readings to be able to help with healthcare in any way they can. As part of that mission, the company has teamed up with Stanford scientists to observe and study irregular heart rhythms.

The study is open to anyone who wishes to participate — as long as they are at least 22 years of age and they own an Apple Watch Series 1 (not 1st generation) or above. The app Apple Heart Study is up on the App Store and available for download right now (link below).

The point here is not to diagnose heart rhythm abnormalities, but rather to screen for them — at least for the time being. It's still pushing the envelope in terms of what the Apple Watch can be used for and detection of atrial fibrillation seems to be one of the fields the Watch can really help. It's a condition that is often overlooked in young people, due to the fact that only at-risk individuals get the monitoring required to detect it.

As for how the app would work — you just install it and set it up, then go about your day. If at some point the Watch detects a problem, you will be notified and offered a free consultation over phone or video. From then on, the doctor will let you know if you need to visit the local hospital and get tests done.

Download Apple Heart Study