Researchers say this is the first study to report the performance of the photoplenthysmography-based algorithm for participants at all levels of physical activity.

The device’s accuracy of detecting atrial fibrillation was comparable during low and moderate levels of activity.


Consumer-facing devices, like Apple Watch and Fitbit, are cleared by the United States Food and Drug Administration for pre-diagnostic purposes but are not intended for clinical decision making.

This device, Ghanbari says, could provide the link that allows providers to effectively use data from wearables to manage patients with Afib.

“The prescription Study Watch bridges the gap between long term, continuous monitoring that is currently more invasive and the consumer space with a practical solution for Afib detection and burden assessment,” he said.

“It is not intended to replace interval ECG monitoring for patients who need it. However, the multistage system may also limit the burden on clinicians and avoid the deluge of notifications generated by other wrist-worn devices that rarely result in clinically actionable findings.”

The creator of the watch, Verily Life Sciences, received 510(k) clearance from the FDA, a premarket submission to demonstrate the product’s efficacy and similarity to a legally marketed device.

“There is a need for clinical grade wrist-worn wearable that is affordable and can be prescribed by clinicians for the long term, personalized and continuous management of patients with Afib,” Ghanbari said.

Additional authors include Ming‐Zher Poh, Ph.D., of Google, Li-Fang Cheng, Ph.D., Janice Lin, Ph.D., Anil Patwardhan, Ph.D., R. Scooter Plowman, M.D., M.B.A., MHSA, M.Sc., all of Verily Life Sciences, Anthony J. Battisti, Ph.D., Lori A. Crosson, Ph.D., Jeffrey T. Ellis, Ph.D., Yuriko Tamura, and Mintu P. Turakhia, M.D., all of iRhythm Technologies, Ganesh S. Venkataraman, M.D., of Colorado Heart and Vascular, Charles A. Athill, M.D., of San Diego Cardiac Center, Nimesh S. Patel, M.D., of University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Chinmay P. Patel, M.D., of University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, and Christian E. Machado, M.D., of Ascension Providence Hospital.

Ghanbari is a paid consultant for Verily Life Sciences, Boston Scientific, Johnson and Johnson and Huxley Medical Inc.

Paper cited: “Validation of a Deep Learning Algorithm for Continuous, Real‐Time Detection of Atrial Fibrillation Using a Wrist‐Worn Device in an Ambulatory Environment,” Journal of the American Heart Association.

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