Oura Ring users get new Symptom Radar feature – an early morning scan that could detect colds and flu

• Oura Labs is adding its beta-tested Symptom Radar feature to the Oura App
• The data is synced each morning and can help identify cold or flu symptoms ahead of time
• The feature has been in development since 2020

Oura is doing some really interesting things in the world of health and fitness technology right now. Following a period in beta testing through the Oura Labs program, Oura is rolling out Symptom Radar to its best smart rings, the Oura Generation 3 and Oura Ring 4.

This feature activates when the app syncs with the data collected by the user's Ring each morning. It checks resting heart rate, HRV, temperature trends, and breathing rate to "determine if there are any deviations from your personal baseline", which can indicate the onset of sickness.

The app reports on whether a user is displaying signs of respiratory issues that could be caused by a cold or flu-like illness, reportedly with a high degree of accuracy. Working with the Unversity of San Francisco's Osher Center for Integrated Health and its TemPredict initiative, Oura Rings could reportedly spot pre-symptomatic signs of fever with 76% accuracy, and has since "up-leveled" its accuracy with a new algorithm.

Oura can tell you you've got a cold before you know it

According to Oura, the Symptom Radar can identify symptoms in three levels; 'No Signs', 'Minor Signs', and 'Major Signs'.

This is done by analyzing metrics like resting heart rate, temperature trends, breathing rate and HRV to spot deviations from a user's baseline metrics.

If potential symptoms are detected, Oura will " encourage members to turn on Rest Mode and take proactive steps toward rest and recovery," a press release explains.

Oura says development with the TemPredict initiative in 2020. This led to the development of its new algorithm which was then tested as part of the Oura Labs eta testing service. According to Oura, it maintains 99% temperature accuracy compared to lab standards.

The feature is rolling out to Gen 3 rings and Oura Ring 4 by Monday, December 9.

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