Withings has unveiled a small device that it says offers a complete health check-up in one minute. The company has confirmed it’s coming to Australia this year, subject to medical approval.
Headquartered in Issy-les-Moulineaux in France, Withings has gained a reputation for producing quality connected healthcare consumer devices such as its activity monitoring watches, body scales, blood pressure monitor and sleep analysis system.
This new device called BeamO purports to compile an on-the-go health check-up using four measurements. It records body temperature using temporal artery detection, listens to your heart and lungs using a “digital telescope”, detects possible cardiovascular issues using a medical-grade ECG, and checks your body oxygen levels to assess part of your respiratory system.
As with all consumer health devices, you should be cautious about accepting any results as accurate and should see a doctor if there is a hint of an illness, whether it is detected by BeamO or not.
However Withings has told ChannelNews Australia that BeamO should be available in Australia this year and is currently undergoing assessment by Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) for TGA clearance of its ECG capability.
“Beamo has not been clinically/medically validated yet. The plan is to clinically validate the device and obtain CE marking and FDA clearance to bring BeamO to market as a medical device.” Australian pricing has been set at $449.99.
Withings is bullish about the product which it says is “the thermometer of the future”.
“This advanced ‘multiscope’ will place the ability to measure core health vitals taken during physician visits into the palm of the hand,” the company says.
“For the first time, BeamO will combine ECG, oximeter, stethoscope, and thermometer sensors to turn the humble thermometer into a powerful tool for regular monitoring of heart and lung health. Portable and smaller than a smartphone, it is designed to help individuals and families perform at-home check-ups and to substantially improve the quality of telehealth visits.”
The company says BeamO will generate a complete health record through the Withings smartphone app over time.
“With the Withings app, users can view their full history of health readings along with interpretations of their meanings and actionable advice. Family medical health history can also be uploaded and, where necessary, shared with physicians and other family members.
It also allows multiple family members to create individual profiles to use and share Withings devices.
Could this finally be the 21st century manifestation of a medical tricorder as we saw in Star Trek in the 1960s?
