Review of the Withings Move ECG watch

Withings launched in September 2019 a new analog watch with integrated electrocardiogram: Move ECG. Feedback after several weeks of use.Read our Withings Move ECG review.

Awarded at CES 2019 with a CES Innovation Award, Move ECG is the very first analog watch capable of recording a medical quality electrocardiogram (CE Medical certified). It allows in particular to detect non-intrusively and with medical precision atrial fibrillation.

This new watch from the Withings range responds to a real interest in public health for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. In fact, it is estimated that one in four adults in Europe and the United States will suffer from atrial fibrillation during their lifetime. It is also responsible for around 1/3 of strokes, while 90% of these accidents could be avoided with early detection.

“By allowing our users to perform an ECG on demand, when they feel palpitations or an irregular heartbeat, Move ECG is a game-changer in the detection of cardiovascular disease “Explains Eric Carreel, President of Withings. “Although providing very precise medical measures, this elegant watch has nothing to do with the usual intrusive medical devices. With Move ECG we have created a simple alert system with record autonomy that can be worn every day, in order to record an ECG immediately at the onset of a symptom, which allows early management of atrial fibrillation. ”

An ECG at your fingertips

The ECG, or electrocardiogram, is the graphical representation of the electrical activity of the heart. With each beat, an electric wave crosses the heart and causes it to contract. Recording an ECG by a cardiologist measures 12 leads (or channels) of the heart.

Move ECG detects the electrical activity of the heart through the user’s left and right arms, making it possible to record one of these leads. This bypass is sufficient to diagnose atrial fibrillation. To allow ultra-precise measurement, Move ECG uses 3 independent electrodes built into the dial (on the upper ring) and the back of the watch. Each electrode is made of 316L stainless steel to guarantee a medical quality reading.

In the event of symptoms such as palpitations, the user simply presses the button on the watch and places his hand on the dial to be able to take a measurement anywhere, anytime. This lasts 30 seconds. During the measurement, the ECG recording can be viewed live on the user’s smartphone, or later after synchronizing the watch with the phone.

When the exam is finished, Move ECG vibrates to inform the user that the measurement is complete and automatically synchronizes via Bluetooth with the Health Mate app which indicates whether the heart is beating normally or if there are signs of atrial fibrillation . Automatic AF recognition is enabled by an algorithm developed by Withings research teams with cardiologists that has been trained on thousands of ECG recordings.

The Health Mate app provides a detailed graph of long-term heart rate trends and a history of ECG readings. A PDF report containing the complete ECG recording and its classification can be easily generated and shared with the doctor to allow better management.

Real life Review

The Withing range of watches is attractive at first sight by a simple and refined design. This Move ECG watch remains in this line. Light and refined, it is comfortable to wear. Another great strength: the 12-month autonomy! No need to charge the watch every day or every week.

The watch offers several functions for monitoring activity or sleep:

  • Track calories burned, speed, distance, workout routes, altitude, and track elevation

  • Progression of the number of steps, indicated on the sub-dial of the watch: we can follow its progress compared to its daily goal

  • Automatic recognition of daily activities such as walking, running, swimming and cycling

  • Sleep monitoring: analysis of sleep duration and different sleep cycles

For sleep monitoring, other functions are offered such as Smart Wake-up allowing to wake the watch wearer at the most opportune time in their sleep cycle or the Sleep Smarter program, which offers support over eight weeks with recommendations for improving sleep patterns.

Regarding the ECG part, recording is quite simple by a simple press on the dial for 30s. A full ECG is then recorded and available through the Health Mate app. The BPM score is indicated with an indication of the heart rate.

In conclusion, a complete watch for monitoring your physical activity, sleep and heart rate.

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