The Huawei Watch 4 has learned to monitor blood sugar levels: how it works

Apple has been working on the ability to measure blood sugar levels on the Apple Watch for several years, but has yet to add the feature to the devices. But Huawei has beaten it to it.

Details

The Chinese manufacturer has launched a research programme based on its Huawei Watch 4 to help people with diabetes. The company has launched a non-invasive way to measure blood sugar levels using a smartwatch. It doesn't require special equipment or blood samples: the gadget monitors health by comprehensively analysing ten indicators in just 60 seconds. The watch monitors heart rate, pulse wave characteristics and other key indicators to assess the risk of hyperglycaemia.

The Huawei Watch 4 does not provide on-demand blood sugar readings, but it does provide timely notification of health indicators. However, the manufacturer emphasises that the watch is not a medical device.

The function is primarily intended for people with type 2 diabetes. However, users with type 1 diabetes are not recommended to use this technology because their pancreas does not produce insulin.

For now, the feature is only available in China for participants in a research programme run by a third-party medical institution. Nevertheless, it is an important step towards expanding the capabilities of wearable devices.

Source: Gizmochina