Samsung is pushing its smartwatch ambitions a step further into health monitoring, with new clinical findings suggesting the Galaxy Watch 6 may be able to warn users before they faint. In a joint study with Chung-Ang University Gwangmyeong Hospital, the company tested whether wearable data could flag early signs of vasovagal syncope (VVS), a common cause of sudden fainting.
VVS happens when heart rate and blood pressure drop quickly, often triggered by stress, pain, or prolonged standing. The loss of consciousness is usually brief, but the fall that follows can lead to injuries. That risk is what makes early detection valuable. Even a short heads-up could give someone enough time to sit down or call for help.
Galaxy Watch 6 could identify fainting spells 5 minutes in advance
The study involved 132 patients with suspected VVS. Researchers used the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 to track biosignals via its photoplethysmography (PPG) sensor. The focus was on heart rate variability (HRV), which can shift in subtle ways before a fainting episode.
An AI model trained on this data was able to predict an episode up to five minutes in advance, with an overall accuracy of 84.6 percent. Sensitivity was measured at 90 percent, meaning most real cases were detected, while specificity stood at 64 percent, leaving some room to reduce false alerts. Even so, clinicians involved in the study note that a few minutes’ notice can make a practical difference in avoiding injury. The results have been published in European Heart Journal – Digital Health, adding peer-reviewed backing to what Samsung describes as a first for commercial smartwatches.
Smartwatches have steadily added features like ECG, blood oxygen tracking, and sleep analysis over the past few years. This study hints at a more ambitious direction: moving from recording what has already happened to anticipating what might happen next. There are still gaps to close before anything like this becomes a standard feature. The current accuracy levels show promise, but also highlight the need for refinement, especially to limit unnecessary alerts.
If these systems improve, wearables could become more relevant for people managing recurring conditions or those at higher risk of sudden health events.
