Apple to Expand The Scope of Activities

Apple Corporation has recently made another step to strengthen its position in the heath care area (and not only). The company has granted patents for hitless control touch interface and built-in heart rate sensor, which can also be used to identify the user of the mobile device. One of the Apple patents describes how to use this technology, in particular, to improve user identification by gesture recognition and block accidental clicks. At the same time, the technology of more accurate touchscreen responses in the cold weather is described as well. Another patent describes a sensor that allows a user to determine their heart rate through the metal frame of the mobile device, conducting electric current to gather corresponding data. According to the patent details, the application accuracy, with which the sensor is working, will allow the user to identify the gadget according to biometric indicators. The goal of this technology will present an additional safety barrier for the owners of iPhone. In addition, it can be used in fitness applications, and not only by using smartphones, but also in other portable devices, which are yet to appear (e.g. iWatch).

Apple has been showing constant interest to the above-mentioned technologies due to the appearance of new product categories in the nearest future. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the iPhone and iPad maker may very soon start the production of devices associated with medicine and cars. In particular, according to the newspaper, Apple intends to create a device that will be able to predict a heart attack, by “listening to” the sound of arterial blood flow.

San Francisco Chronicle also mentions that the project is allegedly headed by the electroacoustic engineer, Tomlinson Holman. The latter is mostly known as the author of the audio standard THX (Tomlinson Holman’s eXperiment, created in 1982 for George Lucas’ company Lucasfilm). What is more, Holman is the key figure in the development of the first 10.2 surround sound system.

Actually, this is not the first rumor that Apple is interested in medicine. In January, it was reported that the company’s top executives have met with the sanitary inspection representatives of the FDA (US Food and Drug Administration), and discussed with them mobile applications in this area.

As per San Francisco Chronicle, Adrian Perica (Apple’s chief specialist on the transactions contracting and buying startups) has met with Tesla Motors CEO, Elon Musk last spring in Cupertino. However, the details of their negotiations have not been disclosed.