Huawei has launched a smartwatch that inflates around the wrist to take accurate blood pressure readings, just like a cuff around the arm in a doctor’s office.
The new Huawei Watch D, unveiled this week at IFA 2022 in Berlin, has an airbag on the inside of the strap that slowly inflates around your wrist.
Blood pressure is a critical indicator of overall health, but when measured by a doctor, it can be altered by what is known as the “white coat effect.”
Here blood pressure rises slightly when we are at the doctor’s because anxiety increases slightly in a clinical setting.
The new Huawei Watch D, being demoed this week at IFA 2022 in Berlin, is slowly inflating around your wrist
The harness contains a component that inflates gradually, like a cuff around the arm in a doctor’s office
By measuring their blood pressure at home, Huawei Watch D users can avoid the “white coat” effect and take accurate readings.
The Huawei Watch D is launched on the European market as a certified medical device, giving users confidence that the information is correct.
It costs £400 and will be available in the UK from the Huawei Store from October.
The device features a “pull strap, an ergonomically curved airbag, and a butterfly latch,” according to Huawei, all designed to remain stable during inflation to “improve the accuracy of spontaneous blood pressure readings.”
MailOnline tested the device at the IFA 2022 and received a blood pressure value in the “normal” range.
Users only need to wear the watch for a minute and keep their arm still while the strap gradually inflates and gets tighter and tighter around the wrist.
After the minute, the watch’s display shows readings for both systolic and diastolic pressure in color-coded categories – low, normal, pre-hypertension, stage 1 hypertension, and stage 2 hypertension.
The systolic reading represents the maximum blood pressure and the diastolic reading represents the minimum blood pressure.
A high systolic reading, even in just one arm, can increase your risk of stroke, heart disease, and chronic kidney disease.
MailOnline tested the device at the IFA 2022 and received a blood pressure value in the “normal” range. Above systolic blood pressure (SYS) and below diastolic blood pressure (DIA). The systolic reading represents the maximum blood pressure and the diastolic reading represents the minimum blood pressure. There is also a heart rate measurement in beats per minute (bpm)
After one minute, the watch’s display will show both systolic and diastolic pressures in color-coded categories – low, normal, pre-hypertensive, stage 1 hypertension, and stage 2 hypertension
Blood pressure is a critical indicator of overall health, but when measured by a doctor, it can be altered by what is known as the “white coat effect.” Here blood pressure rises slightly when we are at the doctor’s because anxiety increases slightly in a clinical setting (file photo).
MailOnline’s EKG results were also “normal”, although the watch said “this information is for reference only and should not be used to make a medical diagnosis”.
The Huawei Watch D can also perform an electrocardiogram (ECG) test, which can be used to check heart rhythm and electrical activity, although Huawei discourages people with pacemakers or other implantable devices from using this feature.
To perform the ECG test, users just need to hold their finger against a sensor module on the side of the watch for 30 seconds.
MailOnline’s EKG results were also ‘normal’, although the watch told me ‘this information is for reference only and should not be used to make a medical diagnosis’.
Huawei Watch D also supports sleep monitoring, blood oxygen saturation monitoring, skin temperature detection and stress monitoring, and is equipped with more than 70 exercise modes.
