A new Apple patent application published today by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office outlines the design for a new wearable health device that would be capable of recording electrocardiographic signals and detecting and correcting for inversions in electrocardiographic measurements based on where the device is worn on the body. The patent, titled Method Of Detecting the Wearing Limb of a Wearable Electronic Device discusses a number of methods of wearable health technology, including not only a watch, but also a ring, pendant, brooch, wrist band, and bracelet, and would be designed to take accurate electrocardiographic measurements based on the electrode’s relative position to the heart automatically, based on the ability to determine where on the body that the device is being worn. It could then adjust the measurements accordingly. Interestingly, the patent comes on the heels of a report earlier this week suggesting that Apple is working on new health-related hardware for release next year that would more accurately collect information like heart rate, pulse, blood sugar changes, and more. [via Patently Apple]
