What you need to know
- A Huawei executive claims the newly launched Watch 4 has a blood glucose monitoring feature.
- Huawei says the smartwatch will alert the wearer when it detects irregular blood sugar levels.
- The watch is said to achieve this topically by using specific health indicators that can be read in as little as 60 seconds.
Huawei claims that its new smartwatch has a non-invasive blood glucose tracking feature that uses only a set of health metrics and does not require any additional hardware.
Yu Chengdong, Huawei’s consumer CEO, posted a demo video on Weibo showcasing how the new feature works. It should be noted that the Huawei Watch 4 does not function to provide blood sugar readings per se; it only alerts you when it detects that your blood sugar level is high and you may be at risk of hyperglycemia.
Huawei’s promotional video shows that an alert will appear to display a hyperglycemia risk assessment for the wearer. The smartwatch does this by measuring "10 health indicators in 60 seconds," according to Yu.
Huawei Central notes that these metrics include "heart rate, pulse wave characteristics, and more," suggesting that the watch is limited only to monitoring your blood glucose level topically.
A screenshot of the video provides details about the hyperglycemia alert, stating as follows (machine-translated): "You may have short-term blood sugar fluctuations. A diet high in sugar, oil, and fat may increase the risk of high blood sugar. Please continue to wear it."
In recent years, smartwatches have become increasingly sophisticated in their health-tracking capabilities. Many of the leading Android smartwatches, such as the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 series and earlier models, can now take electrocardiograms (ECGs) to diagnose atrial fibrillation and monitor blood oxygen levels. Huawei's latest wearable device takes a step further by offering non-invasive blood glucose tracking.
Yu claims it is the industry's "first smartwatch that supports high blood sugar risk assessment research." Apple was also reportedly working on the same feature for its Apple Watch series. According to a Bloomberg report, Apple intends to combine chip technology called silicon photonics with absorption spectroscopy to measure blood sugar levels.
Non-invasive blood glucose tracking is a major breakthrough for people with diabetes. It eliminates the need for finger pricking, which can be painful and inconvenient. It also allows people with diabetes to track their blood sugar levels more frequently, which can help them better manage their condition.
Huawei's non-invasive blood glucose tracking technology is still in its early stages, but it has the potential to revolutionize the way people with diabetes manage their condition. If it is successful, it could make it easier for people with diabetes to live healthier and more normal lives, but only if it is accurate and approved for public use by regulatory bodies.
