Smartphone device can monitor your vitals

A new health tracker called Wello, designed for smartphones, will allow people to monitor their vitals quickly and easily. Created by San Francisco-based technology company Azoi, the device doubles as a phone case, with embedded sensors that monitor blood pressure, electrocardiography (ECG), heart rate, blood oxygen, temperature, lung function, and more.

To get a reading, users hold their smartphone for a few moments as the sensors take measurements and store the information on an app linked with the device. This offers rapid results along with the ability to track data and look for patterns that develop over time.

“Over the last two years, we have focused our efforts on coming up with a technologically advanced yet easy-to-use tool to help you monitor health and facilitate better lifestyle choices,” said Azoi founder and CEO Hamish Patel, in a statement. “We have effectively put health monitoring equipment, typically in large form factors, into a highly convenient and accessible mobile phone case.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women, and about 715,000 Americans suffer a heart attack every year. High blood pressure is a key risk factor for heart disease, and the CDC recommends that “knowing the warning signs and symptoms of a heart attack is key to preventing death.”

Nevertheless, many Americans are misinformed about their heart health, lacking sufficient education about disease prevention and symptoms. Patel believes Wello could better enable users to identify potential health issues, both heart-related and otherwise, by taking a closer look at what is going on inside our bodies.

“All too often, health problems go undetected until they are too late to address,” said Patel. “We believe that through improved self-awareness of key vitals, technology could very easily reduce the incidence and impact of a wide range of illnesses and diseases.”

Wello is currently available for pre-order and retails for $199. The product will ship in fall 2014, pending FDA approval.