Hey there, my fellow tech enthusiasts! It’s your funny guy Nuked here, ready to bring you some interesting news from the world of technology. Today, let’s talk about Google researchers and their innovative approach to measuring heart rate using off-the-shelf headphones. Trust me, this is one cool development you don’t want to miss!

Traditionally, heart rate monitoring in wearable tech has relied on a method called photoplethysmography (PPG), which uses light pulses to measure blood activity. While it has been effective to a certain extent, it does have its limitations. But fear not, because Google scientists have come up with a different approach known as audioplethysmography (APG).

So, how does APG work? Well, the clever folks at Google found a way to utilize ultrasound to measure heart rate. They achieved this by bouncing a low-intensity ultrasound signal off the inside of the ear canal and using the microphone in active noise-canceling (ANC) earbuds to detect skin surface perturbations as blood pumps through it. Pretty cool, right?

Now, what makes this technique even more impressive is that it remains “resilient” even in less than ideal conditions. Whether you have a bad ear seal, different ear canal sizes, or even darker skin tones, APG can still provide accurate heart rate measurements. This is particularly significant because previous smartwatches and wearables have struggled with accuracy when it comes to darker natural skin tones or tattoos.

Of course, like any new technology, APG does have its challenges. The researchers discovered that it can be affected by noise in the environment and body motion. However, they were able to overcome these issues by using multiple frequencies and selecting the most accurate signal from them.

In their study, the Google researchers tested both commercially available earbuds and purpose-built prototypes to analyze the effect of microphone placement. They conducted a field study with 153 participants and found that the median error rate for heart rate and heart rate variability was 3.21 percent and 2.70 percent, respectively. Impressive results, indeed!

Now, before you get too excited, it’s important to note that this is still just a study. It doesn’t mean that Google is about to release headphones with this technology or update your Pixel Buds Pro to do it. However, it does give us a glimpse into the company’s ideas as it delves deeper into the wearables space.

If you’re interested in diving into the nitty-gritty details of Google’s study, you can download it directly from their website. So, stay tuned for more exciting tech updates, my friends! Until next time!

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