Google is finally rolling out the Fall detection feature after the brand had promised to make it available a few months ago. To enable the Fall Detection feature, the Pixel Watch companion app will display a promotional card in the “Updates” feed (top-right corner) beginning today. The Personal Safety app will also prompt you, and it is accessible in the US, CA, UK, IE, FR, JP, AU, and TW. Your Pixel Watch must be running RWD9.220429.073 (January) or later.
Further details of the Pixel Watch fall detection feature
Google claims that the Pixel Watch can tell the difference between a severe fall and exercise, even strenuous physical activity (burpees were given as an example). According to comprehensive testing, the wearable can rapidly recover from a little misstep.
“We also tested this feature against high-energy activities that involved impact, sudden drop or excessive arm movements – think activities like burpees, jumping or swimming – to avoid those types of activities from triggering a false notification.”
This capacity is activated after a violent fall followed by approximately 30 seconds of no movement. It makes use of motion sensors as well as on-device machine learning. Your Pixel Watch will display the “Fall detected” screen with a red countdown ring and two options to dismiss: “I’m Fine” and “I fell & need help.”
“The motion sensors and algorithms can monitor for a sudden impact and your body’s responses and instinctive reactions to falling. We trained this process using a broad variety of human and simulated fall data and other motion patterns to accurately detect real falls and minimize potential false alarms.”
Your watch will also vibrate and emit an alarm, which will become louder in the last few seconds. If no answer is received within a minute, the Pixel Watch will immediately contact emergency authorities and send an automated message describing the fall and your present position. You can also communicate with the emergency operator. There are some criteria to use the Pixel Watch fall detection feature. Just like the Emergency SOS,
- Google Pixel Watch WI-FI needs to be in the range of your phone and connected with Bluetooth to call emergency services. You will not be able to make a call if your watch is not connected to a phone.
- Google Pixel Watch LTE needs an active LTE connection on your watch to call emergency services without your phone nearby.
