Withings Scanwatch
The first to market smartwatch that can record an ECG.
Every smartwatch and fitness band out there will tell you your heart rate, which they do via optical sensors that look at blood vessels to measure variation in blood flow. Fidelity is generally low, but absolutely good enough for taking a quick check or monitoring your heart rate during exercise. But, only the Withings ScanWatch can do a medical-grade ECG (electrocardiogram), measuring with astonishing accuracy the electrical impulses in your heart that are used to get a super accurate reading.
Just launched in Australia, it beats the Apple Watch (and many others) with this feature, and, is approved by the Australian government’s Therapeutic Goods Administration as a medical device. This makes it a gamechanging product and – for many – a potentially life saving bit of tech.
Half a million Aussies have an irregular heartbeat, and many won’t know they do. The condition, known as Afib (artial fibrillation), can dramatically increase the risk of stroke, and until now you needed a visit to your GP or a cardio specialist for it to be detected and monitored.
The ScanWatch uses three electrodes to do an ECG measurement – one on the front and two on the back of the watch. To take a reading you place your non-watch-wearing hand over the top of the watch, being sure to touch the metal bezel, and hold it there for the 30 seconds it takes. This creates an electrical circuit and allows an ECG reading of your heart’s electrical activity. Your ECG displays on your phone via the excellent Withings Health Mate app in real time, is stored for future reference, and can be shared as a PDF or jpeg.
Not all people with Afib have it all the time, so the Scanwatch can be set to look for signs of Afib every 10 minutes via its optical cameras, and alert the user if it’s detected – at which point it will recommend taking an ECG reading. That would also be the time you stop what you’re doing, relax and breath deeply and think about seeing your doctor.
It’s other notable health feature is an accurate blood oxygen saturation sensor, which works via a dedicated sensor that emits a light wave at your wrist, which then reflects off visible blood vessels and measures oxygen saturation based on the colour of the blood. The same sensor can also detect sleep apnea – something many people will have no idea they might have.
The ScanWatch also does pretty much every single thing you’d expect of a healthoriented smartwatch, from setting and achieving activity goals, to sleep monitoring. It’s waterproof to 50m, has up to 30 days of battery life and is light and comfortable to wear. It could easily pass as a dress watch. It’s actually quite beautiful.
At the price it’s a steal. I was unexpectedly diagnosed with a pretty bad case of Afib just a week before the ScanWatch was announced for Australia. It was as surprising as it was scary, and I face a long road ahead of treatment. The ScanWatch is now staying on my wrist 24/7, monitoring my heart and helping me live a longer and healthier life.
A government-certified, potentially life-saving medical device, with bonus James Bond looks and style.