The rumor mill surrounding Samsung’s next-gen smartwatches has been completely buzzing these previous few weeks. The newest contends that Samsung’s subsequent flagship—the Galaxy Watch 4—may add a bioimpedance evaluation (BIA) sensor. If you’ve by no means heard of BIA earlier than, it’s the identical tech utilized in sensible scales to find out your physique composition.
The rumor comes through Android Authority and Max Weinbach, a tech author with an honest monitor document of sussing out what’s coming subsequent for Samsung devices. That mentioned, there’s not a lot else to go on. Weinbach stored issues snappy in his tweet, merely stating “Galaxy Watch4. BIA sensor.” Rumors and leaks ought to at all times be taken with a heavy grain of salt, however there are two most important causes to suppose this one may not be completely bunk.
The gist is BIA works by sending a weak electrical present by your physique. Depending on the impedance or “resistance” that sign encounters, you’ll be able to estimate physique composition as several types of tissues have greater or decrease electrical resistance. Fat is extra immune to electrical energy in comparison with water, blood, and muscle. Most sensible scales utilizing BIA, as an example, declare to measure physique fats, muscle mass, water, and infrequently, bone density. To do that, you want a pair of electrodes—one to ship out the present, and one other to obtain it, thereby creating an entire circuit.
That ought to sound acquainted, because it’s additionally how superior smartwatches—just like the Samsung Galaxy Watch 3—take ECG readings. For ECGs, the explanation you’re requested to put a finger in a selected space on the watch is to finish a circuit. Samsung already is aware of easy methods to ship and browse electrical currents despatched by the physique, so it’s not prefer it’d be an especially heavy carry so as to add physique composition evaluation.
The second motive is Amazon’s additionally dipping into physique composition with its Halo tracker and app—albeit utilizing a very completely different methodology. Amazon Halo measures physique fats in an especially problematic method. It requires you to strip to your skivvies and take photos in your telephone to get an estimate of your physique fats proportion. You’re additionally proven a 3D mannequin of your physique that comes with a slider, so you’ll be able to see the way you’d look with minimal physique fats and a six-pack, or a excessive proportion of physique fats. The firm claims its methodology is extremely correct and similar to medical lab checks, although accuracy isn’t the issue with Halo.
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So provided that one other main tech firm is dabbling with physique composition, and the actual fact it wouldn’t be an enormous technological carry, it’s affordable to suppose Samsung may introduce this sort of function. Among flagship smartwatches, we’re additionally within the midst of a “health tech arms race.” So far, Apple, Samsung, and Fitbit have led the pack. Apple and Samsung are each closely rumored to be engaged on blood glucose monitoring and Fitbit launched an electrodermal exercise sensor with its bold Sense smartwatch. However, BIA is one thing neither Apple nor Fitbit has delivered to the wrist. (Fitbit does, nevertheless, have a wise scale that makes use of this tech.)
The factor is, whereas this might give Samsung a leg up, it’s additionally wading into murky territory. Measuring physique composition is, by itself, not a nasty factor. Metrics don’t have any morality. However, BIA is not the most accurate measure of physique composition, though it’s the most simply accessible to customers. For instance, if you happen to drink a number of water, or are dehydrated, that might throw off your BIA measurements. Clinical strategies, like DEXA, air displacement plethysmography, and MRIs, are extra correct however are costly and require you to go to a lab. In quick, BIA is ok for roughly estimating your physique composition over time—however you may get bunk particular person readings.
Giving customers an accessible strategy to acquire perception into their coaching or weight reduction efforts is, broadly talking, a great factor. However, there’s a number of nuance to deciphering these leads to a accountable method. If completed carelessly, like Amazon Halo, you’re probably handing individuals with physique dysmorphia or consuming issues a harmful software.
Samsung has made strides lately to enhance its well being choices, largely to nice success. There have been a couple of hiccups, however after reviewing the last 4 Samsung smartwatches, I can say every watch has been higher than the final and Samsung itself has taken care to adjust to regulatory our bodies just like the FDA. Personally talking, Samsung has a greater likelihood of pulling off physique composition options than Amazon, because it has far more expertise in well being tech. However, it’s nerve-wracking to think about Big Tech wading into the extremely nuanced and controversial relationship between body fat and health. If this Pandora’s field needs to be opened, right here’s to hoping it’s completed with extra care going ahead.
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