Oura, a leading wearable technology company, has officially launched Symptom Radar, a feature that can detect early signs of respiratory illness, allowing users to take proactive measures to prevent or mitigate the effects of illness.

The Symptom Radar feature is built upon Oura's research during the COVID-19 pandemic, which aimed to develop a diagnostic tool for detecting early signs of the disease. Although Symptom Radar is not a diagnostic tool, it serves as an "illness warning light" that flags when a user's body is showing early signs of respiratory illness.

According to Shyamal Patel, Oura's head of science, the feature works by evaluating metrics such as resting heart rate, heart rate variability, temperature trends, and breathing rate to detect significant changes from a user's long-term baselines. When users sync their data in the morning, they will be notified if no signs, minor signs, or major signs of strain related to respiratory symptoms have been identified.

In the case of minor or major signs, the Oura app will encourage users to turn on Rest Mode and take steps to prioritize rest. This proactive approach can help users prevent or reduce the severity of illness. Patel notes that users' physiology often changes a day or two before symptoms appear, making Symptom Radar a valuable tool for early intervention.

Symptom Radar was initially introduced as a beta feature in April through Oura's Labs program for experimental features. The beta testing phase allowed the Oura team to develop a new algorithm based on a larger data set and gather user feedback. One key takeaway from the beta testing was that users wanted to be notified when symptoms weren't detected, leading to the inclusion of a historical graph in the official version of Symptom Radar.

The historical graph will enable users to track their health trends over time, providing valuable insights into their recovery from illnesses. Patel suggests that this feature could evolve to help users identify factors that aid in faster recovery from illnesses.

Symptom Radar will be available to all Oura Ring Gen 3 and Oura Ring 4 users by Monday, December 9th. This development marks a significant milestone in wearable technology, as it demonstrates the potential for devices to play a proactive role in maintaining users' health and wellbeing.

The launch of Symptom Radar raises interesting questions about the future of health monitoring and prevention. As wearable technology continues to advance, we may see a shift towards more proactive, preventative approaches to healthcare. Oura's innovation in this space could have far-reaching implications for the industry and users alike.