Withings, the brand best known for its smart scales and smart watches, will soon launch a new, never-before-seen product.
The BeamO is a palm-sized monitoring device (or “multiscope”) that can provide a comprehensive view of your heart and lung health. It combines an ECG, which records the speed and rhythm of the heart, with a stethoscope for measuring lung health, a thermometer and an oximeter, which tests the oxygen level in the blood.
If you want the launch alert, sign up with Withings UK or Withings EU.
This is how the BeamO works.
To use it, simply hold the BeamO against your forehead or over your heart or lungs, depending on which measurement you want to take. Data is then sent via Wi-Fi to the Withings app, which will be upgraded to be compatible with the device via a software update. The update also allows Withings users to upload details of the medications they are taking and record side effects.
Withings
Withings
Withings
Measurements from the BeamO are tracked in the app, which also provides information explaining what the numbers mean, plus practical advice.
When it comes to smart scales, the Withings app is one of the best available for this very reason: it not only displays a reading number, but also explains what that number means.
Since temperature is the only measurement commonly taken at home, Eric Carreel, founder and president of Withings, hopes that “BeamO will be the thermometer of the future, offering the ability to assess temperature and monitor the condition of the heart and to observe lungs”.
It also allows you to take measurements daily, or as needed, and track health statistics over time. The BeamO supports multiple profiles in the app, so it can be used by the whole family.
Withings
Withings
Withings
Additionally, users can share data with their healthcare provider, making remote appointments more accurate and useful.
Completing a full set of measurements takes less than a minute and users are warned of fever or cardiovascular problems, including atrial fibrillation – although this is subject to FDA approval in the US. The ECG capabilities also require FDA approval in the US. This could explain why US users can’t sign up for a launch alert yet.
One thing that may come as a surprise is the price, which is lower than you might think. The BeamO costs £199.95 in the UK and $249.95 in the US and is expected to hit the market soon.
For context, Withings’ smart scale, the Body Scan, retails for £349.95 / $399.95. The Body Scan also has an ECG and performs various other body composition measurements. For more information, read our review of Withings’ most expensive scales.
If you’re wondering whether the BeamO will catch on, the popularity of the much more expensive Body Scan suggests it has the potential to grab people’s attention.
As you’d expect, the BeamO is packed with technology to make these measurements possible. There are light-based photoplethysmography sensors and electrodes along the sides for the blood oxygen and heart rate measurements. But the device is rated as a 1-lead ECG, compared to the Body Scan’s 6-lead, meaning it’s not nearly as sensitive as Withings’ smart scale.
Withings
Withings
Withings
A user’s temperature is measured via a temporal artery scan; the technology is an improved version of Withings’ existing Thermo device.
Finally, the stethoscope measures chest or back sounds using a piezoelectric disk and sounds can be heard through headphones (the device has a USB-C to jack adapter) or transferred to the app. It sounds like there might be a bit of a learning curve when taking this latest measurement: Withings says the app will include “tutorials” to help users take “precise heart and lung measurements.”
But is this the future of at-home health testing? Only time will tell.
If you are interested in a smart scale from Withings, we have advice on whether to choose the Body Scan, the Body Comp or the Body Smart.
And if you want Withings technology in watch form, check out our reviews of the ScanWatch 2 and ScanWatch Light.