By Andy Boxall
A powerful feature previously trialed in the Oura Ring’s beta program has been fully released and is available to all wearers of the smart ring. It’s called Symptom Radar, and it examines key data points collected while you sleep and acts as an early warning system for the onset of respiratory illnesses. Yes, the Oura Ring really will be able to tell if you’re getting sick.
Most importantly, it’s really easy to immediately understand the Symptom Radar’s findings, as it will report back every morning using three distinct levels: No signs, minor signs of a respiratory illness, and major signs of a respiratory illness. The data will be plotted onto a graph so you can track your wellness over time and observe how symptoms may be evolving.
The app uses key metrics — including your heart rate, heart rate variability (HRV), breathing rates, and body temperature — to inform the Symptom Radar. It compares them to the baseline metrics it has already collected during the time you’ve worn the smart ring and notes any changes. The graph will show which metrics have changed, too, so you’ll be able to understand how your body is reacting. This is also helpful because you know how you feel and can see how the app interprets it.
Should the app alert you of minor or major signs of respiratory illness, it will recommend switching to Rest Mode, which stops the app tracking activity and pushing you to meet goals, helping to promote recovery and giving your body time to rest. Because it still tracks your sleep in Rest Mode, the app can still provide information on how any illness is progressing, so it is far better than simply not wearing the smart ring when you don’t feel well.
The Symptom Radar feature is the result of nearly five years of work, evolving from noting body temperature changes and how they correlated with signs of fever to developing new algorithms that include more metrics and alert wearers of possible symptoms of illness. Oura says the smart ring has 99% accuracy compared to lab standards when it comes to tracking your temperature.
Symptom Radar will be available in the Oura app starting December 11 (for clarification it was originally set for December 9, but this shifted slightly shortly after announcement) for everyone with the third-generation Oura Ring and the most recent Oura Ring 4. It’s the first Oura Labs feature to leave the beta phase and be promoted to the main app that is ready for everyone to use.
Andy is a Senior Writer at Digital Trends, where he concentrates on mobile technology, a subject he has written about for…
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