Fitbits Could Detect Irregular Heartbeat

Fitbit devices will soon be able to tell users if they have an irregular heart rhythm. It’s designed more as an early warning than an emergency alert.

The feature will initially only be available in the United States, where it has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Unlike previous attempts that relied on an ECG sensor, the new “passive atrial fibrillation” monitoring uses the optical heart rate monitor, meaning it will work on most Fibit models from the past few years.

Rather than requiring the user to actively trigger a check (as happens with ECG sensors), the technology will work automatically while the user is still, include during sleep. It will build up a picture over several days to detect signs of atrial fibrillation.

If that happens, the device won’t sound an alert notification. Instead, a message will appear in the Fitbit app suggesting the user make an appointment to see a healthcare professional.

Atrial fibrillation involves the upper chambers of the heart beating irregularly and getting out of sync with the lower chambers. This doesn’t usually cause noticeable symptoms but can lead to blood clots that increase the risk of stroke.

Back in 2018 a British man was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation after his Apple watch alerted him to an unusually high heart rate whilst sitting down. Although the alert was simply triggered by the high reading, the man then kept an eye on the heart rate for several minutes and noted it swang dramatically in a range from 79 to 135 beats per minute.



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Apple Gets Official Self-Repair Service

Apple has finally launched an official self-repair service for its products. There’s a discount for users who return their old parts for recycling, but some repairs will still be costly.

The service will initially only be available to US customers. They’ll need to browse a dedicated website (selfservicerepair.com) to find the appropriate manual. To order parts they’ll need to provide their serial number or IMEI plus the repair manual ID. The latter ID appears to be a way to confirm the user has ordered the correct parts and at the least had the opportunity to read the correct instructions.

The site and delivery is being handled by an as-yet-unnamed third party business. (The domain name was registered last November with the registrant’s identity kept private.) Apple says it will not have any information about who has used the service.

Once a user completes the repair, they may need to run a software tool called System Configuration, initiated through an online chat or phone call.

At launch only the iPhone 12, 13 and SE ranges are available, though some Mac computers will be added later this year.  As an example, repairs are available for the iPhone 12 battery, speaker, camera, display, SIM tray and taptic engine.

For most components users can buy individual parts or a bundle, which includes relevant screws and adhesives. After a repair is complete, users can send back the old parts for a return credit, though the proportions vary greatly. For example, the iPhone 12 camera is $111.75, reduced to $59.25 after the return credit. A new display is $267.96, reduced only to $234.36 after return credit.

Apple is stressing that only people with experience carrying out such repairs should use the service and says the “vast majority of customers” will be better off using a certified professional repair service. It says eight out of 10 of its US customers live within 20 minutes of an authorized repairer.

The Dark History of Zombies

Zombies have a distinct lineage— one that traces back to Equatorial and Central Africa. For three centuries, African people were enslaved and brought to the Caribbean Islands. There, a religion known as vodou developed, along with the belief that a person’s soul can be captured and stored, becoming a body-less zombie. Christopher M. Moreman uncovers the true origins of the undead.

[TED ED]