Wearable Tech Boosts User Experience with New Labs Features: Oura and Google Lead the Way

Oura Ring has recently introduced a new feature, Oura Labs, that allows users to participate in experimental features. The first feature available is Symptom Radar, which detects early signs of physiological strain. This feature alerts users of significant changes in biometric trends such as temperature, respiratory rate, resting heart rate, and heart rate variability. While it is not a diagnostic tool for illness detection, it provides a heads-up when strain is detected, allowing users to prioritize rest by enabling Rest Mode or lowering their daily activity goals.

It’s important to note that Symptom Radar is not a diagnostic feature as stated by Oura. The goal of this feature is to help users better understand their body’s signals and falls under wellness and general education rather than diagnostic purposes requiring FDA clearance. However, Oura conducted a study last year that found COVID-19 symptoms affected biometrics weeks after infection, hinting at potential for illness detection in the future.

Similarly, Google recently launched Fitbit Labs offering Fitbit Premium subscribers access to experimental AI features for testing and feedback. This trend of labs features in wearable technology allows for continuous innovation and improvement based on user experiences and data insights.