Fitbit could be working on a new way to analyze your mental health, according to a recently filed patent. The document, released earlier this month, describes how a future Fitbit device could perform a quick check on your mental well-being by combining physiological statistics (such as heart rate, sleep patterns, and activity levels) with data collected through simple games.
Fitbit Sense and Fitbit Charge 5 can monitor stress levels by measuring changes in the electrical conductivity of the skin caused by adrenal activity, but the new patent focuses on identifying longer-lasting mental health problems.
"It is well documented that cases of mental disorders, such as depression, are on the rise, and it is suspected that there are many cases that go undiagnosed," the journal explains, "although there is no commercially available condition marker such as a blood or blood pressure test to make the diagnosis.
The patent, which was discovered by Gadgets & Wearables, mentions the ability to analyze emails, text messages and voice samples to help assess mental health. However, Fitbit seems to be moving away from this due to privacy concerns and the need for an "extended scanning period" before it can generate useful results.
A Fitbit that judges your speech can be scary too. In 2020, Amazon released its first fitness tracker, the Halo Band, which was able to listen to you throughout the day and analyze your tone of voice for signs of stress. It was an interesting concept, but widely seen as unsettling, and Amazon decided to drop the mic for Halo View 2021.
How games might work
Instead, a future Fitbit device could use games designed to check your mental and cognitive status. These games can check factors like problem solving ability, executive function, multitasking, or willingness to pay attention, and would only take a minute or two.
Different games could be presented to different people, and the patent suggests that the data could be saved so that users don't have to repeat the same game over and over again. The two options described in this document are a pattern recognition game whose shapes become increasingly complicated over time, and a game that tests impulsivity by asking players to stop a balloon from filling with air just before it explode.
Of course, a patent just means that Fitbit is exploring the possibilities; That's not a sign that these sanity games are definitely coming to the devices of the future. However, we will be on the lookout for more information and will keep you posted if we hear more.