Pixel Watch 3's Groundbreaking Pulse Loss Detection Gets FDA Approval

A big, potentially life-saving feature is coming to a Google Pixel Watch 3 near you. It's called "loss of pulse detection" and it's coming to U.S. users by the end of March following approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The idea behind the feature is that when the watch detects a loss of pulse event while worn, the device will perform a bunch of pre-checks to confirm the situation before sounding an alarm and calling emergency services to request help. 

FDA approval means Google can start rolling out the feature in short order. The way it works is, when the watch detects no pulse from a wearer—for reasons like heart attack, overdose, respiratory/circulatory failure, or poisoning—it will sound an alarm and contact 911. 

According to Google's documentation of the feature, the watch (with loss of pulse detection activated, of course) will perform a few pre-steps before ultimately literally making the call to ask for help:

• If no pulse is detected, the watch will vibrate and if the user is okay. If the user doesn't interact with the "I'm OK" onscreen button after 15 seconds, the watch proceeds to the next phase. The process will cancel if the watch does detect pulse or movement within this period.
• If there's still no pulse, movement, and interaction with the screen, the watch will enter a 20-second countdown before calling emergency services. During the countdown, the watch will vibrate and sound an alarm. An onscreen X icon will allow the user (or someone else) to stop the countdown.
• When the call is made, the watch will play an automated message to inform responders of the loss of pulse and that the user is unresponsive. The watch will also share its approximate location.
• Users (or someone else) have the option to talk to emergency services by tapping the "Talk to 911". This cancels the prerecorded message and patches the call through the watch's speaker.

Now, Google is very clear that loss of pulse detection is NOT expected to replace a proper medical monitoring device, save your life, or prevent or determine the loss of pulse event in the first place. In fact, clinical tests have shown that the efficacy of the feature stands at 69.3 percent. Another big factor is cell reception: Google doesn't guarantee that an emergency call will get through.

Loss of pulse detection joins other safety and health features already found on the Pixel Watch 3, such as car crash detection, fall detection, irregular heart rhythm notifications, and so on. Loss of pulse has been available in 14 European countries since late last year, specifically Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.