Withings’ BeamO: The Future of At-Home Health Tech is Almost Here
Withings introduced BeamO, a 4-in-1 health gadget that integrates a thermometer, pulse oximeter, ECG, and stethoscope into a compact solution.
- The device features PPG sensors, electrodes, a digital stethoscope, and a second-gen infrared temperature sensor.
- BeamO also allows direct audio streaming to healthcare providers during telehealth sessions.
During the Consumer Electronics Show 2024, Withings showcased its new 4-in-1 at-home health gadget: BeamO.
This multiscope device combines a thermometer, pulse oximeter, electrocardiogram (ECG), and stethoscope into a single, compact device. It’s so compact it might actually pass for a TV remote. Imagine losing THAT between the couch cushions.
Despite its light and compact appearance, it provides the user with a comprehensive health view. You might look a bit weird holding a candy-bar-looking thing to your forehead, but people have done much bizarre stuff for a much less realistic goal. Trust me, you’re normal.
This little thing packs a punch, proving that great things can, in fact, come in small packages. It’s equipped with:
- Photoplethysmography (PPG) sensors
- Electrodes
- A digital stethoscope
- A second-gen infrared temperature sensor
BeamO measures, in real-time, your temperature, blood oxygen levels, and heart and lung health. Basically, all the numbers you need to know to make sure your surprisingly fragile meat suit isn’t crashing.
BeamO is special because it has a working stethoscope integrated into it thanks to a piezoelectric disc. This disc captures acoustic noise from the chest or back and converts it into an electric signal, allowing users to monitor their heart and lung sounds. Before you go blindly scavenging for those sounds, you’d be happy to know that 1) your doctor will show you exactly where to place for an accurate reading and 2) the company will provide you with a tutorial.
The last thing anyone wants is an inaccurate reading that is interpreted as dead but somehow still breathing. Or some other bizarre conclusion you get when you go rogue with the medical side of the internet.
Bonus point, BeamO has a USB-C to headphone jack adaptor for direct audio streaming to healthcare providers during telehealth sessions. This is a very neat feature. If you require regular checkups, you can get them from the comfort of your home.
As of now, Withings is facing some regulatory hurdles as some features need FDA clearance. However, they do anticipate it to be available in June 2024.
I know that when you look at these features on their own, there’s really nothing impressive about them. But Withings managed to wrap everything in a held-hand device. All for $249.95.
This brings us to the elephant of the room: affordable healthcare. That sounds like an oxymoron, these days.
It is a very good idea to have certain at-home health devices like a blood pressure monitor and a reliable thermometer. You are never too young to check your vitals.
But the problems arise when the prices become exorbitant. If you get each of the items separately, you’d come up at about the same price, if not cheaper. What you would be “saving on” would be the telehealth part mostly. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not a bad thing. It can, in fact, make people with disabilities’ lives a little bit easier.
But what happens when we don’t get paid enough to afford an almost $300 gadget? I doubt insurance would cover it either. Do we really have to make people pick between food or health?
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