Dr Cailbhe Doherty

YouTube video by Dr Cailbhe Doherty Understanding Blood Pressure Notifications on Apple Watch

Apple’s new Watch feature doesn’t measure blood pressure — it classifies vascular patterns from optical PPG signals.

In validation (~2,000 participants): sensitivity ≈41%, specificity ≈92%.

Accurate for normal cases, limited for detection.

Video: youtu.be/kTuu30HOINc

The Easy Miles Paradox: Why Slowing Down Makes You Faster What big-data science is teaching us about the art of endurance.

The new science of marathon training in one image:

Run more, mostly easy.

Evidence from 100k+ runners shows the best get faster by going slower.

Full piece: The Easy Miles Paradox
🔗 open.substack.com/pub/drcailbh...

Evaluating Apple’s Hypertension Notification Feature Opportunities and limitations of Apple’s algorithmic classification system

An Evaluation of Apple’s Hypertension Notification Feature

open.substack.com/pub/drcailbh...

Is WHOOP Really Able to Measure Your Healthspan? WHOOP’s new Healthspan and Pace of Aging metrics promise to translate daily habits into years gained or lost. But how much science survives the leap from epidemiology to your wrist?

WHOOP’s new “Healthspan” metrics turn daily habits into added or lost years of life. I reviewed their white paper — here’s where the science holds, and where it overreaches.

open.substack.com/pub/drcailbh...

Apple Watch estimates VO₂ max from submaximal exercise, but how accurate is it?

In our study of 40 adults, it underestimated VO₂ max by ~6 ml/kg/min—often a whole fitness category.

📄 DOI: doi.org/10.1371/jour...

@insightcentre.bsky.social @ucddublin.bsky.social

Wearables like Oura, WHOOP + Garmin give you a single “readiness” score.

Our new review shows most rely on just 2 metrics (RHR + HRV), with opaque algorithms + overlapping inputs.

Good for trends, not daily judgment. 📄 doi.org/10.1515/teb-...

@insightcentre.bsky.social @ucddublin.bsky.social

We reviewed the privacy policies of 17 wearable brands.

Most fall short. Some don’t say who can access your data—or what they’d do if it leaked.

Full paper in @natureportfolio.nature.com:

doi.org/10.1038/s417...

Should rules be stricter?

YouTube video by Dr Cailbhe Doherty Can You Trust Your HRV? What 14 Days of Real-World Data Revealed

🫀 HRV: does it actually reflect how you feel?

We tracked 41 people for 14 days.

✅ HRV linked to feeling better.
❌ Not linked to soreness.
⚠️ HRV varied up to 70% day to day.

The insight?

Single numbers mislead. Patterns reveal.

🎥 Watch the explainer: youtu.be/E_SJ1Lj5B6Y

@ucdpress.bsky.social

💻 Online Scoliosis Education: explaining our trial to the #WorldPhysio2025 audience in Tokyo 🇯🇵 Thanks to supervisor @cailbhe.bsky.social of @insightcentre.bsky.social

YouTube video by Dr Cailbhe Doherty Can You Trust Apple Watch for HRV? A Scientific Validation Study

📱 Can You Trust Apple Watch for HRV? 🧠

Heart rate variability (HRV) is a powerful marker of stress and recovery—but how accurate is the Apple Watch at measuring it?

🎥 Watch the full breakdown: youtu.be/kJhDe53pU1s

⌚️🏃‍♀️ Opinion - How trustworthy is your fitness tracker score?

🏋️‍♀️ "Fitness trackers can still offer valuable insights..."

✍️ Assistant Professor @cailbhe.bsky.social writing in @theconversation.com

A visual abstract of our full paper:https://doi.org/10.1515/teb-2025-0001

How trustworthy is your fitness tracker score? New research shows a lot of data goes into scores like “readiness” and “strain” but it’s not clear how personalised these numbers really are.

Your fitness tracker gives you a daily “readiness” or “recovery” score — but how accurate are those numbers?

Our new article in TheConversation explores the science (and the guesswork) behind wearables' health scores.

📲 Read here:
theconversation.com/how-trustwor...

How accurate are wearable fitness trackers?

Less than you might think…

via @theconversation.com

theconversation.com/how-accurate...

#NationalChallengeFund #NextGenerationEU

Cailbhe Doherty: Smartwatches know far too much about us. Why aren’t we more worried? Data doesn’t get much more sensitive than measuring your atrial fibrillation, blood pressure or blood glucose

Smartwatches know far too much about us. Why aren’t we more worried?

www.irishtimes.com/opinion/2024...

Can you exercise too much?

Studies suggest that extreme exercise doesn't significantly raise mortality risks compared to moderate levels.

Full video here: youtu.be/7WWZ3XswLkY

AI in academia: a 'Jagged Frontier.' Inside, AI boosts efficiency in admin, content creation, and grading. Outside, it falls short in mentoring, ethics, and original research. On the frontier, AI is emerging in data analytics and interactive learning.

dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn...

There is a scientific fraud epidemic — and we are ignoring the cure Rooting out manipulation should not depend on dedicated amateurs who take personal legal risks for the greater good

"Our relaxed attitude to the scientific fraud epidemic is a disaster-in-waiting...the lack of due diligence means the rewards for bending or breaking the scientific rules tend to outweigh the incentives to observe them"

www.ft.com/content/c886...