Can GoBe U Detect Chronic Dehydration?

GoBe is not a medical device and cannot diagnose dehydration or determine its severity in a clinical sense. However, it is designed to help you monitor hydration trends and alert you when your hydration level drops below your personal baseline.

How It Works

GoBe measures hydration using a bioimpedance sensor that tracks changes in tissue conductivity beneath the sensor.

The hydration algorithm does not know in advance what hydration level is normal for you. Instead, it gradually establishes your personal hydration baseline based on the data collected while you wear the device.

In simplified terms:

• GoBe continuously monitors tissue conductivity.
• The algorithm identifies periods when hydration appears to be at its highest level.
• Based on these observations, it establishes a personal hydration baseline.
• When hydration falls below this baseline, GoBe registers a low hydration level and sends a “DRINK” reminder.

Drink reminders continue to appear until your hydration level returns to a normal range.

Why Doesn’t GoBe Always Update the Baseline Automatically?

While the algorithm may use higher conductivity values to refine your personal hydration baseline, this does not happen automatically in every situation.

To improve accuracy, GoBe filters out measurements that may be affected by factors such as:

• sleep;
• temporary loss of contact with the skin;
• unstable sensor contact;
• other conditions that may temporarily affect tissue conductivity.

In these situations, recalculation of the maximum conductivity value may be temporarily blocked until the algorithm determines that the data is reliable.

What About Chronic Dehydration?

People who are chronically underhydrated usually still experience temporary periods of improved hydration, for example after drinking fluids or eating meals.

GoBe uses these periods to gradually refine its estimate of your personal hydration baseline. When hydration later decreases below that baseline, the band reminds you to drink.

If you regularly follow the device’s reminders and maintain adequate fluid intake, your overall hydration level may improve over time.

Important Limitations

The hydration algorithm was primarily developed and validated using data from healthy individuals.

As a result, the accuracy of hydration baseline detection may be reduced in certain situations, including:

• chronic dehydration;
• conditions affecting water-salt balance;
• severe diarrhea;
• significant fluid loss;
• hospitalization or intravenous fluid therapy;
• medications that affect hydration or fluid metabolism.

Additionally, if you begin wearing GoBe while already dehydrated or ill, the algorithm may initially establish your baseline using data collected during that condition. In such cases, additional time may be required for the system to determine a more accurate personal hydration baseline.

For this reason, GoBe hydration data should not be used to diagnose medical conditions or assess the severity of dehydration. If you experience symptoms of dehydration or feel unwell, please seek medical attention.

Additional Resources

• HEALBE Hydration Algorithm Patent: US2018263526A1 / EP3387986A4

• Validation Results from UC Davis and Red Cross Hospital: View Validation