Smart ring maker Tail is launching two new features focused on heart health, the company announced Friday. The former claims to help users get an idea of their cardiovascular age, while the latter feature aims to estimate their cardiovascular fitness. Depending on an individual’s results, Oura will offer strategies for better sleep, movement and de-stressing.
The new features should not be used to replace actual health care and regular check-ups by a doctor, and users should consult a medical professional for an actual diagnosis if they are concerned about anything. Oura itself notes that an Oura Ring is not a medical device and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, monitor or prevent medical conditions/diseases.
The new ‘Cardiovascular Age’ feature claims to help users understand their cardiovascular age in relation to their chronological age. The idea is to help identify behaviors that could positively impact their lifespan. For example, if a user has a Cardiovascular Age greater than their chronological age, they may see a message that says, “Your Cardiovascular Age is currently above your actual age. Don’t worry, many things can cause this. One of the best cures is movement.” Of course, you would also want to consult a doctor.
After a person has used the Oura app for at least two weeks, they will see a Cardiovascular Age measurement that indicates whether they are trending below, above or in line with their chronological age. Again, results must be verified by a real doctor.
“Oura measures cardiovascular age by analyzing age-related observations within a photoplethysmograph (PPG) signal, which carries information about estimated arterial stiffness and pulse wave velocity (PWV),” the company explained in a Press release.
Cardio Capacity is based on an estimate of VO2 Max, which is a measure of the maximum amount of oxygen a person can use during vigorous or strenuous exercise. For context, the better a person’s cardiovascular fitness, the healthier their cardiovascular system will be over their lifetime.
Oura says that with the launch of this feature, it aims to reposition VO2 Max from a sports measurement to a lifetime benchmark. An estimate of VO2 Max reveals how well a person’s heart, lungs, blood vessels, muscles and nervous system are working together, Oura says.
To use this feature, Oura members will be asked to take a walk test to determine a baseline VO2 Max which translates into Cardio Capacity.
“Working with certified cardiologists and scientists at research institutions such as the Kuopio Research Institute of Exercise Medicine (KULTU) and the University of California, Los Angeles, along with the ŌURA Medical Advisory Board, we have rigorously developed our science and algorithms to to ensure these features provide accurate insights into ŌURA’s broad and diverse membership base,” said Dr. Shyamal Patel, Oura’s senior vice president of science, in the press release.
Oura says the goal of these two new features is to address health holistically, helping users understand that every part of their physiology is interconnected, in the sense that a person’s cardiovascular age and cardiovascular fitness impact multiple systems. instruments.
Oura Cardiovascular Age and Cardio Capacity are launching later this month and will be available on Oura Ring Gen3 devices on both Android and iOS.
