Garmin India has announced a partnership with PhysioQ, a non-profit organization that will connect registered users’ health data from Garmin smartwatches to the PhysioQ-Neo platform. The platform has been launched specifically focusing on the COVID-19 research. This connected self-monitoring system allows users to proactively monitor their own and their family members’ vitals through the Neo mobile app.

PhysioQ- Neo is working exclusively with Garmin to collect key health data – Heart Rate, Respiration and SpO2 through their smartwatches. Data shared by PhysioQ-Neo users will be anonymized and aggregated to aid medical researchers in studying novel coronavirus to combat this and future pandemics. This will be a freely available tool for all researchers.

Sharing his thoughts on the new partnership to fight COVID-19, Ali Rizvi, Director of Garmin India said, “We at Garmin, are extremely delighted to partner with PhysioQ. It is a big step that we have taken towards fighting the battle against the pandemic. With the collected data and the support from PhysioQ research tools, we will be able to provide people with the ability to monitor their health status and well as their family members. This will provide peace of mind to families who are feeling anxious, and worried about the health of their loved ones. We are looking forward to a fruitful association and we are confident that this data driven research will help the researchers in studying the future trends.”

Talking with immense experience of taking care of 50+ Covid-19 patients, Dr. Andrew Cei Ahn, MD, MPH Assistant Professor of Medicine & Radiology at Harvard Medicine School said, “I think it is a game-changer to have an oxygen sensor while being at home, using a wearable device that is affordable. To have Garmin onboard and to have the data available to the researchers is just extremely great for us clinical researchers. Many device manufacturers simply don’t make the raw data available to the user. For Garmin to willingly make the data available to the users and the researchers is just a huge step because that enables us to really analyze the data. Garmin is at the forefront of pioneering in this area and it is a big opportunity for us to fight COVID-19 together.”

Medical professionals around the world are still trying to understand the implications and effects of COVID-19. Early recognition of symptoms will allow for timely medical treatment, and the data can easily be exported for medical professionals to refer to.

Receiving an overwhelming response for PhysioQ-Neo, Christopher Peng, PhysioQ-NEO Co-founder & President said, “In Addition to Garmin’s reputation as a leader in wearable devices as well as with the work they have already done for clinical and medical researchers, we are working with Garmin because they will provide the data we need to see, including high-resolution heart rate variability, all-day monitoring of blood oxygen saturation, respiration and a lot more. ‘The share your data to defeat COVID-19’ initiative that we have started with Garmin is an effort to help the researchers get the information they need outside the hospital to understand the disease. Garmin users can actually donate their data and make a difference in fighting against this pandemic diseases. We hope that the maximum number of people will join NEO in supporting this initiative.”

PhysioQ’s Neo app will be available on Android and iOS platforms for free and is compatible with Garmin’s range of smartwatches that tracks SpO2, including the latest Venu, vívoactive 4, vívomove 3 series, Forerunner 245/245M, Forerunner 945, fēnix 6 series, vívosmart 4, and fēnix® 5X Plus.