Aside from a brief fling with Nokia, Withings has quietly established itself as a home health powerhouse in recent years. The French company may not have the big advantage of an Apple or Samsung, but it makes some specialized devices designed to make vital readings accessible outside the doctor’s office.
While the name suggests an 80s toy maker, BeamO looks to be one of the company’s most exciting healthcare offerings. It’s not a fitness watch or a sleep tracking pad, but rather a new category for Withings. The “polyscope,” as the company has dubbed it, is designed to give patients easy access to vitals during teleconference health calls.
From this point of view, the product makes a lot of sense. According to the US government, telehealth visits (understandably) soared 15 times during the pandemic. While that number has undoubtedly gone down somewhat as the world has reopened, the relative convenience and timeline versus an office visit for non-emergencies can’t really be debated.
Image Credits: Mesodia
“Smaller than a smartphone,” according to Withings’ description, the system offers four key health metrics. It’s a kind of rechargeable digital thermometer that also doubles as an electrocardiogram, oximeter, and stethoscope, giving your healthcare provider more information about what’s going on with you in real time.
“Post-pandemic telemedicine is commonplace,” notes CEO Eric Carrell. “While convenient and cost-effective, remote visits lacked the ability of healthcare professionals to perform 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.”
The system can read SpO2, heart rate and EKG (“medical grade” says Withings) simultaneously, displaying the relevant information on its screen. Headphones can be connected to the system using a USB-C to audio jack adapter. This sound can also be sent to your healthcare provider via an app.
The system is still awaiting FDA approval for things like AFib detection. Withings expects it to hit shelves this July for $250.
