As Nokia Corp. dips its toe into connected healthcare, its subsidiary Withings SA announced the availability of Withings Thermo, a non-invasive thermometer designed for consumers and doctors alike. The first of its kind to achieve FDA approval, Withings Thermo also integrates with one hospital’s Thermia platform in an effort to extend its data-driven SaaS value proposition.

The device reads temperature from the forehead’s temporal artery, which is one of the most accessible and reliable spots for taking body temperature. As it is a non-contact device, it is hygienic and is especially practical for taking baby’s temperature.

How to use

Withings Thermo seems pretty easy to use. The user just needs to press a button on the device and scan the thermometer across the forehead, stopping at the temple. Two vibrations notify when the reading is complete. The temperature will then be displayed in Celsius or Fahrenheit.

The device uses two AAA size batteries that can last up to two years. 

The science

The Thermo features new HotSpot Sensor Technology, which is a sophisticated array of 16 infrared sensors that take 4000 measurements in just two seconds to detect the hottest point. It then uses a specially-designed algorithm that automatically corrects biases such as skin loss and ambient temperature, to deliver a single, highly-accurate temperature reading.

Thermo also takes into account the user’s age and is able to deliver color-coded feedback via the device’s LED display. The LED display will glow Green for normal, Orange for elevated, and Red for high temperature readings. All these features make it a much advanced piece of technology for evaluating and managing fevers.

Thermo App

The Thermo comes with its own dedicated app available for iOS and Android smartphones. It connects via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth to sync data. The app allows users to control and manage data for multiple users by following the temperature trend and getting clear fever status at any time. Users can also provide additional information with each reading, such as logging symptoms or noting any medications taken.

The app can also be used to create notifications to prompt parents to take temperature readings at set intervals to better monitor fever episodes. The Thermo app integrates with Boston Children’s Hospital’s Thermia tool which provides educational information that can provide insights on how to care for a child with a fever. BCH was chosen as it is the premier children’s hospital in the U.S., and its Thermia service came with the BCH seal of credibility.

No other partnerships with other hospital platforms are said to be in the horizon.

FDA-Cleared Status

The Withings Thermo is a Class IIa Medical device and has been granted FDA-Cleared status in the U.S. Thermo joins the Wireless Blood Pressure Monitor in the range of Withings’ FDA-cleared devices, and reinforces the Nokia subsidiary’s positioning in the digital health industry. Withings has built a unique ecosystem that covers regulated medical devices as well as general fitness devices, and continues to reinvent personal health management where accurate and meaningful data allows for better care.

Availability

Withings Thermo is now available for purchase in the U.S. exclusively at Apple Stores, on apple.com and on www.withings.com for $99.95. It will be soon available in the rest of the world.

Nokia’s push for connected healthcare

Nokia Corp., which used to be famous for its mobile devices, announced its intent to acquire Withings earlier this year. The acquisition was finalized in June, marking Nokia’s official entry in the connected health sector.

It seems Nokia entered the connected health market at the right time. According to a new report from Rock Health entitled Digital Health Funding 2016 Midyear Review, venture funding for digital health companies has grown significantly in 2015, but hit a slight dip in the first half of 2016. Despite the slower pace, funding remains within a healthy range, as 151 companies raised more than $2 billion in funding just in the first half of 2016.

Some of the highest venture rounds for 2016 include Flatiron Health ($175m), Jawbone ($165m), HealthLine ($95m), HealthCatalyst ($70m), Procteus ($50m) and Centuri ($50m).

The fight for consumer data

The connected health market is expected to hit $117 billion in revenue by 2020, with clinicians seeing mobile health apps as central to patient health by that time. With this much interest in the market, it is not surprising that Nokia wants to take a bite out of the connected health pie. But it is not without its competition.

Aside from companies that are dedicated to providing medical or health related hardware and software, there’s Apple, IBM, Google, Samsung, and other mainstream companies who have exerted their own efforts to tap into the medical data of consumers.

IBM alone has made some significant acquisitions in the health industry. From its $2.6 billion acquisition of Truven Healthcare Analytics Inc.to boost its healthcare analytics, to its $1 billion acquisition of Merge Healthcare, Inc. to give Watson access to more medical images, health records that will be crucial in learning more about patients.

Image via Withings SA