Jimmy Westenberg / Android Authority
TL; DR
- Samsung could add a BIA sensor to the Galaxy Watch 4.
- The sensor measures the body composition of the wearer, including the ratio of body fat to muscle.
- These data could give users a broader view of their general health.
Smartwatches have screwed on several new health sensors in recent years. Some wearables can now measure stress, skin temperature, and heart health, while SpO2 sensors have become commonplace. Now Samsung could add another new sensor to the Galaxy Watch 4.
According to Max Weinbach, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 will include a bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) sensor, a feature often found on smart scales.
How does BIA work and what does it do?
BIA is a method of measuring the composition – or the percentage of fat in muscles and other tissues – in the human body. The sensor measures the impedance or interruption of a low voltage current sent through the body. BIA uses this data to estimate whether a wearer is too lean or obese because bones, muscles, fat, and other tissues have different electrical resistance properties.
According to Doylestown Health, current BIA sensors typically use two electrodes positioned on a patient’s opposite hand and foot. Samsung can work around this by asking the wearer to touch part of the watch with the other hand to complete the circuit. A patent filed in 2019 (h / t Obviously Apple) suggests that Samsung is likely to adopt this solution.
BIA measurements on a wearable could be a valuable addition for those looking to build muscle, monitor their overall health, or burn fat. It would also effectively sync with other performance metrics like VO2 Max. While the Galaxy Watch 3 may not have been the most effective wearable for fitness tracking, it does appear that Samsung intends to improve on this facet of its wearables.
Samsung is expected to introduce the Galaxy Watch 4 and Galaxy Watch 4 Active on June 28th. So in a few days we will receive a confirmation of the fitness smart of the device.