The Kardia Band for Apple Watch puts a medical-grade EKG on your wrist

AliveCor, a company specializing in medical-grade EKG (electrocardiogram) equipment for mobile devices, has announced the Kardia Band for Apple Watch. The band uses an integrated sensor to record an EKG right on your watch, letting you monitor your heart health wherever you are. The band works with AliveCor's new Kardia app, which will be available on both the iPhone and the Apple Watch.

From AliveCor:

Users can record a single-lead EKG by simply touching Kardia Band's integrated sensor that communicates with the Watch app, Kardia by AliveCor™. The Atrial Fibrillation (AF) Detector then uses Kardia's automated analysis process (algorithm) to instantly detect the presence of AF in an EKG, the most common cardiac arrhythmia and a leading cause of stroke. Also included is the Normal Detector, which indicates whether your heart rate and rhythm are normal, and the Unreadable Detector, which tells you when to retake an EKG so physicians receive only the highest quality recordings.

With the Kardia watch app, you can also record voice memos about how you're feeling while your heart activity is measured. This can give doctors a clearer picture of your health.

AliveCor already makes the Kardia Mobile, an EKG that attaches to the back of your phone with a special case, also made by AliveCor. The Kardia Band is not yet available for purchase, as the company is currently awaiting FDA approval. AliveCor expects the band to become available in late spring 2016.

Joseph Keller

Joseph Keller is the former Editor in Chief of iMore. An Apple user for almost 20 years, he spends his time learning the ins and outs of iOS and macOS, always finding ways of getting the most out of his iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and Mac.