Michael Crider
Withings, maker of hybrid smartwatches, scales, and blood pressure monitors, also makes sleep tracking gadgets. Its latest mat, creatively christened the Sleep Analyzer, is focusing on the common condition of sleep apnea. Withings says that the gadget can detect the irregular sleeping pattern with enough precision for a medical diagnosis, citing trial studies in European hospitals.
While the Sleep Analyzer doesn’t have the full range of diagnosis tools that a sleep lab does, it also doesn’t require a hospital visit and a team of technicians. According to Withings, the tool is reliable enough for most people to make a confident self-diagnosis, though actually following up on it with a doctor will yield some more actionable results like prescribing the use of a CPAP mask.
The Sleep Analyzer also has all the bells and whistles of the older model, including more conventional sleep and breathing tracking, plus integration with Wi-Fi smart home systems so you can dim the lights once you hop in bed. The Sleep Analyzer is available in Europe today for €130, but it’s waiting on FDA approval for sale in the United States. That might take a while, given that Withings is still waiting on certification for the ScanWatch from back at CES, which made the same claim for sleep apnea detection.
