Withings gets FDA approval for its upcoming Body Scan Connected Health Station | Engadget

The Withings Body Scan Connected Health Station has received the go-ahead from the FDA and is set to launch this fall. Engadget’s Daniel Cooper tried it earlier this year and had “nothing but praise for” the luxury smart scale when trying it earlier this year, although he also described its $400 price tag as “mad money” to pay for an extravagance many of us won’t need.

The Body Scan was announced back at CES 2022, seemingly another epoch in the fast-moving world of consumer tech. Withings initially priced the scale at $300, but after getting caught in FDA approval limbo — and facing inflation and a semiconductor crisis during that window — its cost grew.

As for what you get for that significant investment, the scale is a powerhouse. It’s the first FDA-approved health station that detects atrial fibrillation through a six-lead ECG. In addition, it analyzes your segmented body composition, measures nerve activity and monitors your vascular age. It even uses Galvanic Skin Response (GSR) to monitor foot sweat levels to screen for signs of neuropathy.

During Engadget’s time with it, we found the process to be straightforward and nearly effortless. “Get on the scale, hold the grab at pelvis height and wait 90 seconds for it to do its thang,” Daniel Cooper wrote in February. “It’ll run the gamut of tests measuring your weight, body fat, muscle mass, visceral fat, ECG, Pulse Wave Velocity, vascular age and nerve health. It’ll then relay those data points to you in a big, bright, bold and easy-to-read manner, followed by the day’s weather and an indicator about the local air quality (pulled from an online service).”

The device itself consists of a tempered glass platform with an integrated retractable handle. It has four weight sensors, 14 ITP electrodes on the scale and four stainless steel electrodes in the handle. Withings says its battery will last 12 months before needing a recharge. The device’s display is a 3.2-inch color LCD for viewing your metrics. Withings says the scale’s weight measurements are precise down to 0.1 lbs. It measures Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR).

The Withings Body Scan Connected Health Station will be available this September for $400.