Body Cardio, the smart health connected scale that takes care of your heart

Withings, the leader in health 2.0, has launched its fourth generation of smart health connected Withings scale and democratizing the measurement of the pulse wave speed, an essential indicator of the state of health of your heart.

With Body Cardio, Withings hopes significantly advance the prevention of cardiovascular disease. Thanks to measurement tools that were previously only available in the hospital environment, such as the measurement of the pulse wave speed, Body Cardio is truly the most technologically advanced smart health connected scale available on the market.

Body Cardio Withings scale -Smart connected and heart health

A true doctor 2.0, the Body Cardio balance allows its user to quickly obtain a global and reliable assessment of his health which take into account weight, body mass index, heart rate and pulse wave speed. This last measurement gives an indicator of the propensity to have high blood pressure and develop heart disease. Although 90% of these diseases can be prevented with a timely diagnosis, they remain the number one cause of death worldwide.

Cédric Hutchings, Managing Director of Withings, said recently: Body Cardio is the most advanced device we have ever developed. It redefines the way people usually use their scales by providing them with a tool to be able to control their weight and for the first time their heart health. It’s a bit like getting information from your doctor’s annual checkup every day “

In fact, Body Cardio is the first scale to integrate a pulse wave speed measurement tool which the medical community says is the best way to assess a person’s heart health. To deliver a high level of information to its user, Body Cardio connects to the “Health Mate” application, which allows consult the evolution of the pulse wave speed over time with an indicator specifying whether the data is normal or too high.

Body Cardio is available exclusively on Withings website for $120.

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Withings Body Cardio review

We had tested the Withings scale, and it was a real success. We did not expect Withings to offer so many new features in its Body Analyzer (thermometer, CO2 sensor, daily weather display, and of course heart rate sensor) and we appreciated the changes. The time has come to test the new version of the Withings scale, the Body Cardio, which for the first time rethinks the design and adds a small function without competition: the pulse wave speed.

Design

I announced it at the opening, the design of this scale has changed. Haven’t you noticed anything? It’s normal, it’s details that change, but these changes are more than trivial.

We start with the general envelope, which becomes more refined, and especially the loss of the four feet, replaced by simple non-slip pads. Because unlike previous Withings scales, and almost all scales on the market, it is not the feet that dig into the body of the scale to measure your weight, but the entire upper part of the Body Cardio that “ coulisse ”in the plinth (it’s imperceptible, much like the movement of the feet of any scale). And suddenly, you don’t have to pay attention to where you put your scale: carpet or hard floor, anything will suit it. A really appreciable change.

In addition to the new design of the electrodes on the glass plate (surely to be able to realize the new function of pulse wave measurement) which is part of everyday detail, another invisible but significant change takes place under the device: no more batteries , and hello battery (which doesn’t seem to be replaceable without tinkering). The manufacturer’s data shows a battery life of one year, which seems achievable since my 4-month test managed to tire the battery up to 51% in four months at an average rate of almost two weighings per week.

Charging will therefore be done via a micro USB cable, as with your phone or many connected objects. I would have preferred a USB Type-C cable to be compatible with your next phone (you will surely keep your scale longer than your phones), but the deployment of this connector is rather slow.

Otherwise, all the basics of a Withings scale are there: two colors (black or white), a large screen, the “Health Companion” application… You are in familiar territory, but with an object that appears to be more qualitative (this version is heavier than the previous one, that must count in the perception of quality). Most of the photos that illustrate this article compare the two generations of scales, in order to better highlight the work carried out by Withings.

Performances

Let’s start with what we know: connection to the wifi network, measurement of weight, body fat, pulse, weather display … You could almost believe that nothing has changed as everything is simple and fast on a daily basis, like before (no need to wait for the tare of the scale on a Withings for example, a positive point that I forgot to mention as I got used to it).

As for the novelties, note first that the body data are now more numerous: the Body Cardio gives you the percentage of water in your body, your bone mass and your muscle mass, measurements that could be found elsewhere but not at Withings. The more athletic will be delighted to find these measures.

But the big news is pulse wave measurement, a completely new thing psychologically. Unlike all the other measurements, this one cannot be seen on the outside (or you have very dirty arteries), and this is where the paradigm changes: Body Cardio gives you a measurement that until now was only available in hospitals. The most impressive thing is that this measurement is completely transparent: the heart measurement is no longer than before, you always end up displaying your pulse on the scale, and you will find it in the Withings application. This measure. The good stability of the measurements from one weighing to another proves a little that this measurement would be reliable, but I admit that I did not have the opportunity to test my pulse wave speed in a hospital environment to compare… For more explanation on pulse wave speed, read my first post on Body Cardio.

The scale focuses on body monitoring (only one deviation from this positioning: the (optional) display of the day’s weather once the weighing is complete), and abandons the air quality measurement that was available on the WS -50. To me, this is a shame, since my scale is in my room, it was an interesting measurement to check the ventilation of the room and see its influence on sleep.

Conclusion

Withings continues to amaze with additional functions in an increasingly aesthetically successful scale. Some will regret the disappearance of the air quality measurement, but anyone who does not put the scale in their bedroom will not mind. The arrival of muscle and bone mass measurements will fill some people, and the pulse wave speed measurement is astounding. Is all this essential? No really not. But in a world where you want to follow the evolution of your body with sensors, Body Cardio is one of the most advanced products, and perhaps foreshadows what will be the health diagnosis of the future: as simple as climbing on a scale !

The pros:

+ Measurement of weight, fat, bone and muscle mass, water level in the body, pulse, pulse wave speed … Couldn’t be more complete!

+ Ultra sober and very qualitative design

+ Long battery life

The cons :

– No more air quality measurement

– The Withings application has changed little, it is a bit austere, but remains effective

– Charge by micro-USB, why not USB type C?

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