Apple is working on a new feature to detect if a user is drowning and automatically call for help. The new patent from the US allows Apple Watch to further monitor users’ heartbeat.

Apple Watch gets innovations against drowning

The patent application, titled “Wearable Device Used as a Digital Pool Attendant”, addresses the Apple Watch’s examination of heart rate and pulse oximetry. Using these sensors, Apple will monitor the user’s vitals and behavior.

Measurements such as heart rate, blood oxygen levels and swimming motion will be used to understand whether the wearer is in distress. The tech giant plans to analyze the data using machine learning models.

If Apple Watch determines that the user’s behavior is erratic, indicating drowning, it will contact the emergency services. It will also automatically send alerts to people designated as lifeguards. These alerts are planned to be used to call for medical help.

Drowning kills more than 3,500 people a year in the US alone. This makes it one of the leading causes of accidental death worldwide. The solution provided by Apple Watch can save users without the need for cameras.

Apple has patented many ideas that it will never see fruition. But with the Watch, it has introduced many vital features such as falls and heart irregularities. It seems possible that the anti-drowning feature will also be offered in the upcoming models.