WITHINGS has shown its new Body Scan smart scale at CES 2022, and it will measure more than just your weight. The company has been making Wi-Fi connected scales for years, and this latest edition plans to sense nerve activity and heart rhythm. The device is targeting a release in the second half of 2022. The Body Scan claims to be able to track nerve activity from sweat glands in the feet by applying a small direct current, and from that puts a score into the Withings app. The company says that lifestyle changes like healthy eating and exercise can improve nerve activity, and hopes to track that in addition to body composition. To track body composition, Withings says the Body Scan is introducing segmental body composition technology that would allow a view of whole body measurements, such as fat and water percentage, along with individual body part measurements for the torso, arms and legs. The scale can also record a six-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) for detecting heart arrhythmias, and can detect heart rate and vascular age. These readings can be stored and shared with medical professionals using the Withings app. On the surface, the Body Scan looks like your typical scale — albeit with a retractable handle up top. It contains four weight sensors and 14 ITO electrodes in the scale itself, plus an additional four located in the handle. The scale also features a 3.2-inch LCD color screen, as well as a battery life of one year. It’ll also integrate with Withings’ smartwatches, on top of Apple HealthKit and Google Fit APIs. While the handle is definitely unique visually, it’s also what enables the Body Scan’s more interesting features. Smart scales measure body composition via bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). It works by sending a low-level electrical current through your body. Body fat, water and lean mass all have different resistance levels, so depending on the rate at which the current travels, the scale will estimate your body composition. However, most scales only have two points of contact: your feet. That means you’re really getting an estimate for your lower body only. Withings says the Body Scan will use “multi-frequency” BIA as the retractable handle provides two extra points of contact, hence, segmented body composition measurements. Withings chief medical officer Shikha Anand said his company wants to show how your weight relates in context to your overall cardiovascular health, as well as offer more holistic, behavioral insights. She also said the Withings app would be upgraded with better data visualizations for long-term trends. The scale is among several devices debuting in the last few months that attempt to cram more health data into items we use on a daily basis. The Movano Ring aims to monitor vital signs like heart rate and blood oxygen, while Amazon’s recently released Halo View strives to provide health insights as part of a subscription.(SD-Agencies) | 