JUST stumbled onto a breakdown of how smartwatches actually pull off an ecg. instead of the usual setup where doctors stick electrodes all over your chest and limbs, these wearables basically use a single point of contact to track electrical signals. it relies on completing a circuit thru your skin via the sensor on the back and the button on the side. it is def
not a replacement for a full clinical grade test though. those hospital machines are muchh more comprehensive because they capture a broader view of the heart's activity across multiple leads.
it is basically just a simplified snapshot compared to the real deal. the tech is cool for catching irregularities on the fly, but it lacks that deep diagnostic power. i wonder if anyone here actually trusts their watch over a doctor's opinion when smth feels off. does anyone else find themselves checking_heart_rate way too often during stressful shifts?
full read:
https://www.freecodecamp.org/news/how-smartwatch-ecg-works/