Withings demoes consumer ECG/stethoscope at CES

LAS VEGAS – Some called it the coolest device at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES). Withings, a global leader in connected health, unveiled its BeamO, which it calls a disruptive 4-in-1 health checkup device. This advanced “multiscope” will place the ability to measure core health vitals normally taken during physician visits into the palm of the hand and will become available in the United States following FDA clearance.

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 checkups and to substantially improve the quality of telehealth visits.

“BeamO is a transformative multiscope device. Once, body temperature was the only health scan routinely taken at home. BeamO will revolutionize the measurement of the core vitals carried out during medical visits from the comfort of one’s own home. This crucial data will provide a vital overview of overall health or warning signs of potential areas of concern. Instead of measuring these stats a couple of times a year in a clinical setting, it will be possible to assess them every day,” said Eric Carreel, founder and president of Withings.

“BeamO will be the thermometer of the future, providing the ability to assess temperature and observe the state of the heart and lungs.”

He said that post-pandemic telemedicine has become commonplace. While convenient and cost-effective, remote visits lacked the ability for health professionals to carry out the routine checks they perform in person. BeamO will make this possible remotely with a device that combines the functionality of four different pieces of medical equipment.

BeamO contains sensors that beam light waves to interpret blood flow patterns and temperature, as well as acoustic information. It performs multiple functions in one handheld device:

• Photoplethysmography (PPG) and electrodes along its sides allow BeamO to perform blood oxygenation (SpO2), and heart rate readings simultaneously while also conducting a medical-grade 1-lead ECG. A simple light grip of BeamO initiates measurements that can be viewed by users in real-time on its animated colored LED display.
• Raising the Temperature: BeamO conducts accurate and stable core body temperature readings with a noninvasive scan of the temporal artery. An advancement on the Withings Thermo sensor technology, the second-generation hotspot sensor is a mono-element thermophile that narrows the focal area of the infrared beam for contactless measurements. This increases the sensitivity of the scan, making it more robust to changes in distance from the skin or movement.
• Hearing Health: A cutting-edge digital stethoscope, BeamO captures chest or back acoustic sound waves through a Piezoelectric disc. With intuitive tutorials, users achieve precise heart and lung measurements. Equipped with a USB-C to jack adapter, results can be heard through headphones and seamlessly transferred, stored, and shared in the app.

During telehealth sessions, audio streaming enables physicians to guide device placement and focus on specific areas of interest. With these capabilities, BeamO will conduct a 4-in-1 health check-up of body temperature, heart, and lung health in under a minute.

It will be able to alert users to possible fever and infection and will detect possible cardiovascular issues, including atrial fibrillation (AfiB) (following FDA-clearance), which is one of the most prevalent forms of arrhythmias, and provides alerts in case heart rates are abnormal.

A Complete Health Record, Secured By automatically syncing with the Withings app through Wi-Fi, BeamO creates comprehensive health records over time. To better track individual and family health journeys, Withings also introduces new capabilities within the Withings App for BeamO and its entire family of connected health products.

It makes it even easier to track health stats over time that can be recorded and shared. 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. In addition, for the first time, the Withings App allows users to upload details of any medications they are taking, set alerts and reminders to administer at the appropriate times, and log usage and side effects that can be shared with doctors to manage dosage and effectiveness.

BeamO will retail at US$249.95 in June 2024, following FDA-clearance of its ECG capability, the company said.

About Withings
Withings created the first smart scale in 2009 and has been the pioneer in connected health ever since. Its clinically validated and multi-award-winning range is used by millions worldwide. The team of engineers, data scientists, and healthcare professionals at Withings work alongside clinical experts to make it possible to take medical-grade measurements at home. Withings was the first to bring measurements for pulse wave velocity and electrodermal activity into the home – finding ever more precise ways to measure our health. Withings Health Solutions – its dedicated division serving healthcare professionals across chronic disease prevention and management, remote patient monitoring, clinical research, and more – helps bridge the gap between patients and their care teams. Withings is dedicated to creating a world where people can see their path to better health and feel supported to pursue it using devices designed to fit beautifully into daily life, supported by information that unlocks long-term health insights and offers programs to create meaningful change. Find out more at withings.com and connect with us on Facebook, Instagram or X.