LLM-Enhanced Wearables for Comprehensible Health Guidance in LMICs

Abstract: Personal health monitoring via IoT in LMICs is limited by affordability, low digital literacy, and limited health data comprehension. We present Guardian Angel, a low-cost, screenless wearable paired with a WhatsApp-based LLM agent that delivers plain-language, personalized insights. The LLM operates directly on raw, noisy sensor waveforms and is robust to the poor signal quality of low-cost hardware. On a benchmark dataset, a standard open-source algorithm produced valid outputs for only 70.29% of segments, whereas Guardian Angel achieved 100% availability (reported as coverage under field noise, distinct from accuracy), yielding a continuous and understandable physiological record. In a 96-hour study involving 20 participants (1,920 participant-hours), users demonstrated significant improvements in health data comprehension and mindfulness of vital signs. These results suggest a practical approach to enhancing health literacy and adoption in resource-constrained settings.