Fitbit smartwatch with blood pressure monitor may use patented dual sensor

Fitbit is now owned by Google, or Alphabet to be more exact, but the company continues to work on a new sensor for its own wearables, which is illustrated by a recently published patent. However, just because a new technology has been patented doesn't mean it will ever make its way into a smartwatch or other commercially available product. It's also no surprise that Fitbit is engaging in research to develop new potential features for its core products.

That being said, the aforementioned patent describes not just a sensor, but a combination of different measuring methods. This kind of combination should ideally make measurements more accurate and reliable. Fitbit combines two current methods for measuring blood pressure with smartwatches and wearables, namely optical measurement and conventional pressure measurement by detecting the sound of the heartbeat. The patent also describes how the wearable itself could apply pressure to the skin.

Both methods for blood pressure measurement are already available on the smartwatch market. For example, some Samsung Galaxy Watches (from $229 on Amazon) can optically measure blood pressure, but this requires calibration with a dedicated blood pressure monitor. On the other hand, the Huawei Watch D uses an inflatable cuff, very similar to a regular blood pressure monitor for the wrist. Such a device detects and analyzes the so-called Korotkoff sounds in relation to the external pressure being applied to the blood vessels, which consequently determines the well-known systolic and diastolic readings.