Google Pixel Watch adds fall detection

Google announced on Tuesday that it has rolled out fall detection features for its Pixel Watch.

According to blog post, the wearable will use its motion sensors to determine if the user has fallen hard. If the watch does not detect any movement for about 30 seconds, it will vibrate, beep and display an on-screen notification where users can tell they are fine or need help.

If they don’t answer after about a minute, the watch will automatically try to call the emergency services and play an automatic message. Users also have the option to speak with an emergency operator if they can.

Fall detection features can be activated from the Updates page in the Watch Companion app or on Pixel Watch in the Personal Safety app.

BIG TREND

Fall detection is not a new trend for wearables. Apple first added the feature to its lineup of watches in 2018, and Samsung has a similar tool on several Galaxy Watch wearables.

Other digital health and technology companies have also ventured into fall detection, especially for elderly care. At the end of 2021, Amazon announced that is partnering with third parties to incorporate fall detection into its Alexa Together remote monitoring service. It currently lists compatible devices from Vayyar, SkyAngelCare and AltumView. Another company, SafelyYou, has raised two funding rounds in 2021.

Google introduced its Pixel Watch last fall. While the tech giant owns Fitbit, the Pixel Watch is Google’s first branded watch.

In its announcement revealing fall detection features, Google said the wearable could tell the difference between a real fall and vigorous activity that could cause false alarms, a potential problem for rival Apple Watches. Last month, The New York Times reported that iPhone and Apple Watch car accident detection and fall detection sometimes bombarded emergency dispatchers in ski towns with false alerts.

“We trained this process using a wide range of human and simulated data from falls and other motion patterns to accurately detect real falls and minimize potential false alarms.” — Paras Unadkat, Pixel Watch Product Manager, and Edward Shea, Pixel Product Manager Safety, wrote on the Google blog. “We also tested this feature on high-energy activities involving impact, sudden falls, or excessive hand movements—such as activities such as burpees, jumping, or swimming—to avoid false notifications from such activities.”

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