Vasovagal fainting is the most common type of temporary loss of consciousness, and although it is not dangerous in itself, the sudden fall that follows it can lead to severe head injuries and concussions. Now, Samsung claims it has managed to crack the method for predicting this condition with high accuracy by analyzing biological signals from its smartwatch. The ability to provide users with an early warning could be critical, as it would allow them to sit down, lie down, or call for help before they lose consciousness and collapse to the ground.
The new development is the result of a joint study by Samsung and Chung-Ang University Hospital in Korea, which was published in the scientific journal European Heart Journal. The phenomenon in question occurs when the body reacts extremely to certain triggers – such as the sight of blood or severe emotional stress – causing a sharp drop in heart rate and blood pressure. According to the researchers, this is a particularly common phenomenon that may affect up to 40 percent of the population during their lifetime.
To examine the technology, the research team tested 132 patients suspected of having these symptoms during induced fainting tests. Using the PPG sensor built into the Galaxy Watch, which measures heart rate and pulse variability, an artificial intelligence algorithm analyzed the data in real time. The results showed that the system successfully predicted impending fainting events up to five minutes before they occurred, with an accuracy rate of 84.6 percent.
At Samsung, they emphasize that the study is an example of how wearable technology can shift the medical world from retrospective treatment to a preventive medicine model. The company defined the findings as a global breakthrough in the field of fainting prediction, although at this stage it has not yet announced when, or whether at all, the feature will be officially implemented for users. It is likely that the company will exercise extreme caution before a commercial launch, given the regulatory and legal complexity of medical alerts of this type. Meanwhile, the company’s latest series of watches already offer monitoring for sleep apnea, blood oxygen levels, and heart rhythm disorders, as part of the vision of turning the watch into an advanced smart health bracelet.