TECH NEWS – The new device from the Cupertino-based tech company could have medical applications.

For media consumption and possibly productive tasks, the Apple Vision Pro AR headset could be used for a variety of purposes, but there has been no word yet on whether it could be a useful device for healthcare. According to The Information, Apple has started sniffing around the possibility of diagnosing and treating mental health problems, as well as monitoring via the device’s capabilities.

According to Wayne Ma, Apple Vision Pro will also be used for depression, anxiety, stress, and post-traumatic stress disorder. The mixed reality headset can also be used for eye tracking and pupil dilation. External cameras can be used to measure how affected a person is or how they express their feelings through certain facial expressions. If the headset can detect an emotionless expression, it could be a sign of a mental health problem. The device can then play images and sounds that improve the person’s mental state.

VR headsets are already being used to diagnose and treat patients with PTSD, allowing them to face their fears with confidence. So Apple’s ideas may not be all that new. Infrared eye-tracking cameras can detect blood vessels in the eyes, which in turn can predict heart failure. It was thought that Parkinson’s disease detection would be implemented, but plans to do so were swept off the table due to unreliability.

Health testing is not the same as mass use in this way, because while it can successfully identify diseases, it cannot be defined as a medical device because it must first undergo rigorous clinical trials and be approved by multiple health regulators. Some Apple employees are also concerned that if the Vision Pro does not work as advertised, Apple could face a series of serious lawsuits over health complications…

It’s not yet clear whether the $3,500 headset’s health features will be included in the first model, but Apple can’t play around with it. It’s all in the testing.

Source: WCCFTech