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Google Pixel Watch gets a key Apple Watch safety feature
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Google has brought fall detection to thePixel Watch, enabling users to contact the emergency services quickly and easily if they take a tumble.
The feature, which has been available on theApple Watch for a number of years now, uses the Pixel Watch’s motion sensors to pick up on movement that replicates a hard fall.
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It’ll be activated automatically if the wearer takes a fall and doesn’t move for 30 seconds thereafter. From there, the watch will sound an alarm and users will be presented a simple one-tap choice on screen: “I fell and need help” or “I’m ok”.
The former will contact the emergency services on your behalf. If you fail to respond after a minute, it’ll do likewise, but play an automated message that requests help. It’ll use location data to enable the emergency services to track the user down.
Google says the feature has been tested vigorously to guard against false positives and, as it’s Google, it’s no surprise that machine learning is involved.
“Your Pixel Watch knows the difference between taking a hard fall and performing a vigorous physical activity or even quickly recovering from a small stumble — thanks to our machine learning algorithms and rigorous testing,” the company says in ablog post.
“The motion sensors and algorithms can monitor for a sudden impact and your body’s responses and instinctive reactions to falling. We trained this process using a broad variety of human and simulated fall data and other motion patterns to accurately detect real falls and minimise potential false alarms.
“We also tested this feature against high-energy activities that involved impact, sudden drop or excessive arm movements — think activities like burpees, jumping or swimming — to avoid those types of activities from triggering a false notification.”
The feature is rolling out now to Pixel Watch owners. You can turn it on within the Watch Companion app or in the Personal Safety app directly on the Pixel Watch itself.
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Chris Smith is a freelance technology journalist for a host of UK tech publications, including Trusted Reviews. He’s based in South Florida, USA. …
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Founded in 2003, Trusted Reviews exists to give our readers thorough, unbiased and independent advice on what to buy.
Today, we have millions of users a month from around the world, and assess more than 1,000 products a year.
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
