D3, the smartwatch that measures blood pressure and focuses on health

The distance between a smartwatch and a device dedicated to health monitoring is progressively reducing. With the new Watch D3Huawei is pushing above all in this direction without adding yet another parameter to measure but by improving the project dedicated toblood pressure.

The distinction compared to most smartwatches is important: Watch D3 is certified as a medical device according to the European MDR regulation (CE-MDR) e in Italy it is registered in the medical devices database of the Ministry of Health. It is an element that places it on a different level compared to wearables that offer health functions that are exclusively indicative or dedicated to well-being.

A small blood pressure monitor on the wrist

The heart of the Watch D3 is hidden in the strap. Huawei has integrated one micro-pump, a high-precision pressure sensor and a thin pneumatic cuffwhich swells during measurement. The principle is therefore different from that of smartwatches which try to obtain pressure indications exclusively through optical sensors and algorithms.

The cuff uses a dual-layer construction that is approximately one-fifth the width of traditional blood pressure monitor cuffs. The system has been designed to adapt the measurement algorithms to wrists of different sizes and the values ​​of systolic and diastolic pressure.

The pressure throughout the day

In fact, Watch D3 supports theABPM, Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoringambulatory blood pressure monitoring. The principle is to automatically take measurements at pre-established intervals over a 24-hour period, during normal daily activities and even during sleep.

This is probably the function that best clarifies the philosophy of the device. A single measurement photographs the pressure at a specific moment; a sequence of measurements instead allows you to observe how it changes throughout the day and night and to collect information to share with the doctor.

Huawei has also predicted reminder for measurements and tools to analyze blood pressure trends, such as the possibility of carrying out measurements before and after physical activity.

Naturally, having a certified instrument on your wrist does not mean transforming the smartwatch into a doctor: the interpretation of the data and any therapeutic decisions remain the responsibility of the healthcare professional.

The Italians still have little control over the pressure

The choice to focus on this parameter comes in a context in which awareness of cardiovascular risk does not always translate into regular checks. According to theItalian Heart Behavior Surveyresearch carried out by AstraRicerche for Huawei, il 49.4% of Italians consider blood pressure an important parameterbut only 33% simultaneously declare that they consider it important and really control it.

There is also a problem of perception: 55.1% of those interviewed believe that those with high blood pressure always notice it through physical complaints. A belief which, according to the survey, is even more widespread in Southern Italy.

Also interesting is the relationship between users and the technology used for the surveys. The 75.7% of Italians consider a measurement taken through a cuff or an inflatable system to be reliablewhile the percentage drops to 31.9% when talking about detection through optical sensors without inflation.

Not just pressure

The D3 still remains a smartwatch. The system Health Glance allows you to collect information relating to in a single session 11 indicatorswhile the device also monitors heart rate, sleep, stress, skin temperature and emotional well-being. It is also possible to create a sort of family health community, through which you can consult some of your family members’ data and receive notifications in the presence of anomalous values.

On the more traditionally “smart” front there are sports modes, Bluetooth calls and NFC payments via Curve. Compatibility includes both Android sia iOS.

Thinner and lighter

One of the problems of devices capable of measuring pressure through a pneumatic system is inevitably their size. Huawei has worked above all on miniaturization: the Watch D3 has a thickness of 11.3 millimeterscompared to 13.3 of the predecessor, while the strap weighs 35 grams, nine less than the previous generation. The AMOLED screen grows to 1.92 inches and reaches a declared peak brightness of 3.000 nit.

Total weight with strap is approx 75 grams and the declared autonomy goes up to six daysa particularly relevant figure for a product that makes monitoring continuity one of its main topics.

The result is a device that seeks to occupy a still uncrowded space in the wearable market, that ofwearable medical devices that retains the shape, size and functions of a smart watch. It is probably on this border between consumer electronics and health monitoring that one of the most interesting games in the smartwatch market will be played in the coming years.