World’s largest technology fair, CES 2020 also features products that align innovation and health. And vying for this space with wearables, Withings announced that its new smartwatch, ScanWatch, will be able to detect sleep apnea – a chronic condition that obstructs the individual’s areas as he sleeps.
According to company data, eight out of ten people with sleep disorder do not know they have it, that is, technology has great potential. And even if it’s not exactly a medical device, these resources could theoretically help the more than 18 million Americans who suffer from the disease, according to figures from the National Sleep Foundation.
“ScanWatch is our most ambitious medical tracker designed specifically to detect the early presence of atrial fibrillation and sleep apnea – two related problems that are extremely common but largely undiagnosed despite the known impact on various health conditions”. explains Mathieu Letombe, CEO of Withings.
“Used throughout the day and night, ScanWatch provides an early warning system, collecting and sharing critical health data with users and their doctors,” adds the brand CEO about the new smart watch’s functionality.
ScanWatch In Detail
The ScanWatch system uses an SpO2 sensor, which emits and absorbs a light wave that passes through the user’s blood vessels. Throughout the night, this system measures and tracks oxygen saturation levels, seeking to identify when levels are inadequate due to respiratory disorders such as sleep apnea. When left untreated and in extreme cases, apnea can lead to a host of problems such as strokes and heart failure.
This is a problem that different smart watch manufacturers are looking to solve with wearables. Fitbit, for example, has publicly announced its intentions to include this functionality for its upcoming devices. However, the company, which has already conducted public studies, does not yet offer this option.
Introducing ScanWatch, the most advanced wearable ever designed: https://t.co/rEt8mx6h2A. Period. #ProactiveHealthTracking#ScanWatch unveils at #CES2020. pic.twitter.com/VZFN9foCkc
— Withings EN (@WithingsEN) January 6, 2020
Like other recent devices, ScanWatch also includes irregular heart rate detection, such as atrial fibrillation, through an integrated ECG scanner. In addition, as with other Withings sleep trackers, ScanWatch has an intelligent wake-up feature that wakes users with vibration alarms at the optimal time in the sleep cycle.
Like previous Withings models, this is a hybrid with an analog face and a small screen that offers health feedback and notifications to the user. However, the new model features a powerful battery that, as announced, can last up to 30 days away from the charger.
ScanWatch will arrive in the second quarter of 2020, primarily in Europe and the United States for $249.
Source: TechCrunch via Withings Newsroom