In Sunday’s segment on Sky News Australia (Weekend Edition with Tim Gilbert) we looked at fitness trackers and COVID-19. Sophisticated companion apps are showing key changes that might indicate a positive case BEFORE symptoms show.
RESPIRATORY RATE – Many WHOOP members have reported experiencing an increase in respiratory rate coinciding with symptoms of COVID-19.
BLOOD OXYGEN LEVEL – People with COVID-19 often have low blood oxygen levels, which may be a warning sign that you are in need of medical care.
Easiest trackers I’ve found for this data is WHOOP 4.0 and Withings Scanwatch. Apple Watch can record both but you must set up sleep tracking first to record breathing. Although not medical devices fitness trackers could provide invaluable information to a doctor looking for trends.
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RADAR CHECKING PET HEALTH
iPetWeaR is an innovative wearable device using ITRI’s low-power radar sensing technology to detect multiple physiological parameters for non-contact and long-term pet health monitoring. This innovation is capable of tracking a pet’s health data such as heart rate, respiration, and activity. It can alert the owner in events of abnormalities via a mobile app and is usable both indoors and outdoors. iPetWear package costs ($80 US) includes a sensor, collar and mobile app. It works works for both cats and dogs. A few weeks ago I lost my cat of 17 years – it was sudden – so maybe this could have helped? I don’t know but surely other may benefit from a device like this one.
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QUICK FIX FOR POOR ZOOM VIDEO
The first thing to fix before your next zoom call (after raising your webcam to match your eye-line) is lighting. Get a light. Get a couple! Here are some useful ones via Hypop. Some companies, like Apple, are giving employees an allowance to buy home office equipment. So make use of that if you have one to purchase a lighting setup.
Ring lights are very popular and for good reason they give a soft light around the face. ‘Ruby’ Clip-On Desk USB powered Ring Light – $27.99 AUD) can be clipped onto computers, laptops, mobiles, iPads or even clipped on a chair or table. 3200K (warm sun-kissed) to 5600K (natural daylight).
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Don’t automatically go for ring lights if you are not close to the camera. Try something like the Lume Cube ($119.99 AUD). It comes with a suction cup that you can stick on the back of your laptop, tablet or phone. It has 3200K to 5600K adjustable colour temperature – battery gives 1-2 hours – rechargeable via USB.
My advice is to get two – and angle them at 45 degrees – so you get even light on your face while also reducing reflections.
CHARGE FASTER WITH 15W MAGSAFE
Most iPhone wireless MagSafe chargers do not charge the maximum wattage. This Belkin model isn’t cheap but you will get 15 watts output for your iPhone. Plus you can charge your AirPods and Apple Watch at the same time at maximum power.
There are many good MagSafe models out there but only Apple authorised models will give you the full 15 watts. So check the fine print when it comes to MagSafe chargers, otherwise your phone will take a lot longer to charge.
