Can cell phones save lives?

[wonderboy1953]

Here's what I'm getting at. My phone has a wonderful touchscreen which works when you touch it. Since it can sense the touch of my hand, maybe it can be extended to listening to a pulse/heartbeat and send information to a station that can monitor the heartbeat and alert an ambulance in the event of an emergency.

Has this area been explored? What is the potential?

 

[PohTayToez]

Capacitive touch screens are only capable of knowing the location of a touch and nothing else. Resistive touch screens don't perform as well, and I doubt there are any in production that might be able to sense something as light as a pulse. Even if it could, there is no way it would be able to get a pulse through your clothing.

An alternative idea might be some sort of wearable patch or band that monitors your vitals and connects to your phone via bluetooth.

 

[Dystopia]

http://www.iphoneness.com/iphone-apps/best-heart-rate-monitors-for-iphone/

 

[speedyink]

http://www.iphoneness.com/iphone-apps/best-heart-rate-monitors-for-iphone/

"iPhone is unlike any other smart phone" - I loled

There are apps to measure your heart rate. They use the camera and camera light to gather the data.

http://www.appbrain.com/app/instant-heart-rate/si.modula.android.instantheartrate

 

[PohTayToez]

"iPhone is unlike any other smart phone" - I loled

There are apps to measure your heart rate. They use the camera and camera light to gather the data.

http://www.appbrain.com/app/instant-heart-rate/si.modula.android.instantheartrate

Yeah, I was skeptical but I downloaded a heart rate app on my Evo and it works perfectly.

Still not something that could be used passively though...

 

[wonderboy1953]

Continuing this thread on the Laptop and Smartphones section

Just became aware of that section.

 

[soflanetworking]

hmm, learn something new everyday. Thanks for the info...