“Wearable Sensors for Real-World Circadian Monitoring: From Science to Application”

Speaker: Lara Weed, PhD Candidate in Bioengineering, Stanford University

Abstract: Circadian rhythms have widespread influence on human health, from sleep and alertness to metabolism and recovery. As wearable sensors become more sophisticated, new possibilities are emerging to track the body’s central clock outside of the laboratory. But turning raw sensor data into meaningful, actionable circadian insights remains a challenge. In this talk, we'll explore how circadian biology is being translated into the real world through wearable technology, highlighting what we can measure today, where key challenges remain, and how new modeling approaches are helping bridge the gap between research and real-world application.

“Development Considerations of Samsung’s Sleep Apnea Risk Detection Feature”

Speaker: Matthew Wiggins, PhD, Senior Director, Head of Digital Health Solutions Lab, Samsung Research America 

Abstract: Sleep apnea is a severely underdiagnosed disease, with as much as 80-90% of the population living with sleep apnea remaining undiagnosed, with the prevalence likely to continue to increase. Some estimates put moderate-to-severe sleep apnea prevalence beyond 25% with significant population quality of life impacts and associated economic costs, estimated >$150 billion USD. Broadly accessible and accurate identification of those undiagnosed individuals is the key first step to mitigating the impacts of this epidemic. Samsung’s Sleep Apnea Feature was developed and launched to identify those with signs of Obstructive Sleep Apnea from their own consumer-grade wearable. In this seminar, we will discuss this software-as-a-medical-device (SaMD) and the considerations in its development, validation, and regulatory clearance.