Photo: Apple
As if it wasn’t already obvious, technology plays a critical role in our safety on pretty much every vehicle out there, no matter if we’re talking about trucks, passenger cars, or bicycles.
And in some cases, the software or devices that we use can end up saving our lives, especially in those moments when other human beings wouldn’t be able to step in and help us.
Jay Dixon, a 48-year-old cyclist from Cleethorpes, England, unfortunately, figured this out the hard way.
The man was violently hit by a car when cycling down Grimsby Road, with the impact causing both Dixon and his bike to go airborne. The cyclist ended up hitting the ground, at which point the smartwatch on this wrist stepped in to help.
Because the man was switching from a state of complete consciousness to no longer responding to any kind of signal, the driver who hit him had no idea what to do. But in the meantime, the Apple Watch the cyclist was wearing was already doing its magic.
Thanks to a feature called fall detection (and also available on a series of other smartwatches out there), the device was able to determine the wearer was involved in a serious crash. So it automatically called not only a pre-defined contact, in this case, Dixon’s partner, but also the emergency services.
The smartwatch provided the first responders with the location of the accident, so an ambulance rushed to the scene and took the man to a hospital.
This isn’t the first time when an Apple Watch saves someone’s life, and while these incidents are great marketing for Apple, they do show the world of technology is indeed playing a critical role in everybody’s safety.
This is the reason Apple is reportedly working to expand the fall detection feature to a system that could figure out when a car crash occurs and then dial 911 to ask for help. The new functionality is currently in development, and it could see the daylight at some point next year.
Jay Dixon, a 48-year-old cyclist from Cleethorpes, England, unfortunately, figured this out the hard way.
The man was violently hit by a car when cycling down Grimsby Road, with the impact causing both Dixon and his bike to go airborne. The cyclist ended up hitting the ground, at which point the smartwatch on this wrist stepped in to help.
Because the man was switching from a state of complete consciousness to no longer responding to any kind of signal, the driver who hit him had no idea what to do. But in the meantime, the Apple Watch the cyclist was wearing was already doing its magic.
Thanks to a feature called fall detection (and also available on a series of other smartwatches out there), the device was able to determine the wearer was involved in a serious crash. So it automatically called not only a pre-defined contact, in this case, Dixon’s partner, but also the emergency services.
The smartwatch provided the first responders with the location of the accident, so an ambulance rushed to the scene and took the man to a hospital.
This isn’t the first time when an Apple Watch saves someone’s life, and while these incidents are great marketing for Apple, they do show the world of technology is indeed playing a critical role in everybody’s safety.
This is the reason Apple is reportedly working to expand the fall detection feature to a system that could figure out when a car crash occurs and then dial 911 to ask for help. The new functionality is currently in development, and it could see the daylight at some point next year.
Google News