The WE SENSE study protocol: A controlled, longitudinal clinical trial on the use of wearable sensors for early detection . . .

The WE SENSE study protocol: A controlled, longitudinal clinical trial on the use of wearable sensors for early detection and tracking of viral respiratory tract infections, 2023, Amir Hadid et al

Abstract
Background
Viral respiratory tract infections (VRTI) are extremely common. Considering the profound social and economic impact of COVID-19, it is imperative to identify novel mechanisms for early detection and prevention of VRTIs, to prevent future pandemics. Wearable biosensor technology may facilitate this. Early asymptomatic detection of VRTIs could reduce stress on the healthcare system by reducing transmission and decreasing the overall number of cases. The aim of the current study is to define a sensitive set of physiological and immunological signature patterns of VRTI through machine learning (ML) to analyze physiological data collected continuously using wearable vital signs sensors.

Methods
A controlled, prospective longitudinal study with an induced low grade viral challenge, coupled with 12 days of continuous wearable biosensors monitoring surrounding viral induction. We aim to recruit and simulate a low grade VRTI in 60 healthy adults aged 18–59 years via administration of live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV). Continuous monitoring with wearable biosensors will include 7 days pre (baseline) and 5 days post LAIV administration, during which vital signs and activity-monitoring biosensors (embedded in a shirt, wristwatch and ring) will continuously monitor physiological and activity parameters. Novel infection detection techniques will be developed based on inflammatory biomarker mapping, PCR testing, and app-based VRTI symptom tracking. Subtle patterns of change will be assessed via ML algorithms developed to analyze large datasets and generate a predictive algorithm.

Conclusion
This study presents an infrastructure to test wearables for the detection of asymptomatic VRTI using multimodal biosensors, based on immune host response signature.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1551714423000265

 

I am all for studies of wearable biosensors but this seems a rather peculiar application.
Are well all going to be wearing biosensors all the time to try to inhibit pandemics from now on? Maybe stopping people fiddling about with new viruses in labs might do more?

 

Unfortunately, those are now considered good. In fact, the current fashion is the idea that regular infections are necessary, the immune system needs to be constantly challenged or it just stops working. Or some vague BS like this.

Nevermind that we are constantly exposed to millions of pathogens and toxins, I guess the belief is that we need those specific ones, too. There would basically be no interest at the institutional level for this. We are in the age of infections=good. A weird version of Idiocracy, but definitely a human problem more than a technological one.

However this is forgetting that we have the smartest thing in the known universe available to us as a better, faster and cheaper technology: us, literally human beings. We know when we're ill. We don't always know we are infectious, since infections don't always cause symptoms, but this technology wouldn't know it either. However knowing we are ill is of little importance, since being ill is now considered to be good, as long as hospitals aren't overwhelmed. And no one is keeping track, for now anyway.

True progress will mostly be achieved socioeconomically, through technology growing prosperity. The same way it happened until now, for the most part. It does little to be able to identify respiratory illnesses if people don't have the option to convalesce, especially when they are promoted as a good thing. It's economic liberation that will make it possible to reduce the spread of infections. Well, that and AIs who will likely strongly disagree with the current fashionable trend, and not promote infections.

 

And what if they have a disease called ME that does not show up on the virus-detection robot?
Does it allow employers to prove that you are not ill!
Be careful what you wish for sometimes.

 

indeed, its a bit scary iyam!

but that counts for nothing in modern medicine anyway. It matters not what human beings 'know', because without a test result proving it, the human being 'knowing' they are ill is simply wrong.

This to me is the thin end of the wedge towards taking the person's account of how they feel completely off the table in diagnostics. I'm not saying thats the motive right now, simply that the dystopian route we are heading down will lead to unhealthy exploitation of the tech.
The DWP will love it! "If it doesnt show up on the wearable it doesnt exist... get back to work... you lazy dog"