Meet the iPhone Cover that Monitors Vital Signs
As a nurse practitioner, I look at vital signs all day long. I check pulse oximetry readings, analyze heart rates, and monitor temperatures. But when it comes to my own health it’s a different story. Sometimes I wonder about my pulse during my morning jog but I’m far too lazy to figure out how the heart rate monitor on my treadmill functions. When I’m sick and feel like I have a fever I should check my temp but forget trying to find a thermometer…until now.
Meet Wello, the newest medical gadget for your iPhone. Wello is a slim iPhone cover designed to measure vital signs and yes, even record an ECG. Packed into the sleek Wello case is the ability to measure blood pressure, heart rate, blood oxygen levels, temperature, lung function and record an ECG.
Wello works using microelectronics and nanosensors (the exact mechanics of the device are far beyond my level of comprehension). To use the Wello case, users simply click start, place fingers on sensors contained at the back of the case, and in about 10 to 15 seconds the device begins to take vital signs and record an ECG. Then, Wello transmits the data to a sleek app where your stats are cleanly presented. The handy cover also syncs with other wellness gadgets like Fitbit streamlining user’s health data.
The best thing about Wello is it’s size. Unlike other medical devices that attach to the iPhone, Wello is small enough to be practical for daily use. Creator Hamish Patel hopes that making access to personal vital signs easy will reduce the incidence and impact of chronic disease as well as ease the burden on already strained healthcare services.
Available for just $199, Wello is slated for release in Europe, Canada and Asia this Summer. Shipments to the U.S. are delayed until Fall as the device is pending FDA approval.
Will I fork over two hundred bucks for the new Wello iPhone case? Probably not. I would most likely drive myself crazy checking my blood pressure at five minute intervals with my phone. But, I do like knowing I could.
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