Samsung phones are not new to blood oxygen tracking and even heart rate monitoring. With the advent of smartwatches, the features steadily shifted to the likes of Galaxy Watch 3, which has an ECG monitor and can measure blood pressure. Samsung however is supposedly considering bringing blood pressure monitoring to its foldable phones with health sensors embedded underneath the screen – much like the in-screen fingerprint sensor.
According to a patent awarded to Samsung recently, and as reported by LetsGoDigital, “foldable smartphones with an inward folding display” would have a pair of image sensors built into the foldable screen. Reportedly, the sensors will be placed at the bottom part of the screen that will take image data of your finger.
According to the patent, this technology will be used in both clamshell and book-like foldables – which means the Galaxy Z Flip and Galaxy Z Fold series devices can both avail the benefit. When the index finger is placed on one or both the embedded sensors the finger’s image data is collected. Then with the use of pulse wave analysis, also used in Galaxy Watch 3 for blood pressure monitoring, different health factors are measured.
The health parameters measured include blood pressure, arterial wall stiffness, vascular age, stress and fatigue levels, to name a few. The interesting thing – why this patent involves a foldable screen – is that when the finger is placed on the sensor, closing the display on it allows them to better measure the finger pressure to churn out the health metrics.
In addition to this method, Samsung could also be mulling placing sensors on the outside of the device to measure health from the palm of the user’s hand. However that turns out, it will be interesting to see if this technology will see the light of day, or will it remain in the papers forever. Samsung has a fleet of foldable phones lined up for the latter part of the year, is this going to see some early reveal in one of these devices? Let’s wait and watch.