Unconscious monitoring and data gathering can now happen in places where the location “real estate” already exists and is occupied, and additional sensing can take place. The wrist and this extra software feature added by Apple to existing watches (thanks partly to AliveCor) is a good example.

Other normally occupied “real estate” examples and unconscious sensing possibilities are:
* The ear – hearing aids and ear buds can collect most vital signs
* The bathroom – Toothbrush = Saliva and sometimes blood; toilet = Urine and feces, bathroom scale = Weight, fat/water/muscle mass and now heart rate and possibly PWV in future (e.g. with the Withings Body Cardio scale)
* The car – drowsiness, attention, etc.
* The home – many, e.g. home installed inactivity and fall detection to only mention a few.
* The desk chair – posture, inactivity, sitting too long
* And the list goes on.
This story will unfold almost organically due to tech enablement in the consumer centric “real estate” areas that creates awareness that drives wellness. Unconscious data gathering plus AI is key in my opinion, But this is where privacy is of utmost importance, and a source of potential end user friction.

This story will unfold almost organically due to tech enablement in these consumer centric “occupied real estate” areas that creates awareness that drives wellness. Unconscious data gathering is key in my opinion and could result in databases that could have AI applied and be looked at to see if there were early signs of unexpected condition.
But this is where privacy is of utmost importance, and a source of potential end user friction.
Blockchain is a possible enabler of personal privacy, but this is also why the Tim Berners-Lee enactment of Web enabled, secure personal data “pods” is so important as described in this article.
https://www.wired.co.uk/article/inrupt-tim-berners-lee

Avoiding the debate about if and when NHS can be improved or “fixed”, are there any UK Government initiatives to promote and cause over time this kind of wellness and preemptive healthcare? The savings in UK cost of healthcare and to businesses could be substantial and also to human lifestyle improvements.

When new AirPods arrive, with sensors, accuracy should improve with the additional monitoring point(s). AirPod sensors could also help with other conditions such as glucose monitoring.

This could lead to a new virtuous cycle of publicity and sales of Watch/AirPods – large medical study with top research institutions announced, articles on grateful people diagnosed with previously unknown condition, results of study widely publicised.

As Tim Cook is making health an Apple priority and retail cost of 3 Watch/AirPods together is approx. 2 iPhones this could cover much, if not all, of the reduction in revenue from lower iPhone sales.