Physical activity (PA) trackers are a pervasive feature of modern life. It is expected that by 2020, sales of wearable devices will reach approximately 300 million users1 many with the intention of increasing activity by tracking daily step count and other measures of PA. We assessed whether self-regulated use of a commercial PA tracker without prescribed goals improved (1) PA, (2) cardiometabolic (CM) risk factors or (3) subjective health status (SHS).
The purpose of this investigation was to examine the validity of energy expenditure (EE), steps, and heart rate measured with the Apple Watch 1 and Fitbit Charge HR. Thirty-nine healthy adults wore the two monitors while completing a semi-structured activity protocol consisting of 20 minutes of sedentary activity, 25 minutes of aerobic exercise, and 25 minutes of light intensity physical activity. Criterion measures were obtained from an Oxycon Mobile for EE, a pedometer for steps, and a Polar heart rate strap worn on the chest for heart rate. For estimating whole-trial EE, the mean absolute percent error (MAPE) from Fitbit Charge HR (32.9%) was more than twice that of Apple Watch 1 (15.2%). This trend was consistent for the individual conditions. Both monitors accurately assessed steps during aerobic activity (MAPEApple: 6.2%; MAPEFitbit: 9.4%) but overestimated steps in light physical activity. For heart rate, Fitbit Charge HR produced its smallest MAPE in sedentary behaviors (7.2%), followed by aerobic exercise (8.4%), and light activity (10.1%). The Apple Watch 1 had stronger validity than the Fitbit Charge HR for assessing overall EE and steps during aerobic exercise. The Fitbit Charge HR provided heart rate estimates that were statistically equivalent to Polar monitor.
… The biggest reason Apple won the wearable war this year was the realization of the Apple Watch’s potential as a standalone device.
The addition of LTE connectivity finally showed skittish consumers that the company was willing to cut the link between the smartwatch and the iPhone. Standalone functionality has long been a point of contention for those who couldn’t justify such an expensive device that only served as an extension of the smartphone in their pocket.
That new feature appears to have paid off. Demand for the new Series 3 devices has reportedly outpaced supply, and Apple is primed to sell even more in 2018 as it brings more devices to market.
The Apple Watch has a new trick: connecting to workout machines at the gym. Announced back at Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference in June, this capability—called GymKit—syncs Apple Watches with smart gym equipment. It’s a step beyond what even today’s most advanced GPS and activity monitors offer—and a step toward turning the Apple Watch into the ultimate fitness tracker.
… Fitbit’s newest product, the Ionic smartwatch, uses a blood-oxygen sensor to screen for sleep apnea and detect a type of heart arrhythmia. The company has completed clinical trials on the use cases and will submit them to the US Food and Drug Administration for approval. If it receives approval, Fitbits could replace expensive chest patch scanning to perform initial screenings for atrial fibrillation on some patients, Park says. The company’s data has been popular with cancer researchers.
There are plenty of reasons behind the company’s transition: For one, Fitbit will always battle high abandonment rates. (“Fitbit? More like Quitbit,” The Atlantic once quipped.) Fitbit’s sales of fitness trackers, and in turn, its stock price, have reflected that fatigue; revenue fell 22% last quarter and its stock is trading at a 77% discount to its opening price in 2014. But most important, the company needs to differentiate its offerings from the Apple Watch.
MIT Sloan Experts, Huffington Post, John Carrier from
GoPro’s recent loss of $107.5 million is certainly dramatic. After all, last year it announced a profit of $16.8 million. However, it’s also a cautionary tale for all new companies that find themselves in a similarly precarious financial position after enjoying rapid financial success. When this happens, it’s time to take a hard look at the business model.
The big question the company should ask is whether it aspires to be more like Crocs, Chrysler, or Apple. These three companies have all found varying degrees of success through very different models. Each offers substantial pros and cons so it is important for GoPro to know its vision and find the right fit.
… Eccrine Systems is set to introduce its first product, a wearable armband, in early 2018. It is designed to monitor dehydration status during thermally intensive activities and provide real-time alerts to end users and safety personnel to help avoid the dangerous effects of serious heat stress. The Sweatronics platform continuously monitors sweat biomarkers and sends the data to a remote system through a transceiver. The unique sensors and arrays allow a device to effectively analyze sweat rate and other biomarkers in a single, continuous, or repetitive manner.
… The new Arc’teryx flagship store opened June of this year in Vancouver, the brand’s hometown. Embedded in the roughly 300 square meter store on Burrard Street, in an impressively urban environment that’s also reflected within: rustic wood meets delicate light bands, concrete, and cement flooring.
The product offerings fulfill the same balancing act: Presented next to the classic Arc’teryx equipment is also the Veilance collection – a high-tech clothing line for men designed for the city, sold in only a few, select fashion stores around the world.
… Not surprisingly, that same Ergonomics study found loads on the spine were lowest when using a backpack compared to other styles of bags (including roller bags and one-shoulder totes).
The number one thing to keep in mind: weight. To keep the strain on the back low, your bag shouldn’t exceed more than 15 percent of your body weight, says Allread (for a 150-pound person, that’s 22.5 pounds).
Especially in endurance sport nutrition has been shown to be an important factor. Nutrition plays an important role in performance during an event, the recovery from exercise and the adaptation long term.
Rachel Botsman, the author of Who Can You Trust?, talks about how trust works, whether in relation to robots, companies, or other people. Technology, she says, speeds up the development of trust and can help us decide who to trust. But when it comes to making those decisions, we shouldn’t leave our devices to their own devices. [audio, 19:02]
… When you exercise, your heart has to work really hard to pump enough blood to your lungs and muscles. When you subject it to this stress regularly over time, it slowly adapts (by actually growing and getting stronger) and eventually is able to pump enough blood with fewer beats. The same activities end up being less stressful, since your cardiovascular system is more prepared to handle them. This is the same reason why, when you do something like running, over time you’ll eventually be able to work at a higher intensity for longer (with your HR in a comfortable place) than when you first started.
At the same time, the more you train, the better your body gets at activating the parasympathetic nervous system. Here’s how it works: Exercise stimulates your sympathetic nervous system, or the “flight or fight” response, Wells says. Your parasympathetic nervous system counters it. “It’s your recovery and regeneration system that calms your body down. It relaxes your lungs, heart, blood vessels, digestion, and more,” Wells explains. When you train more and put your body under stress that stimulates the sympathetic system, your body gets better at flipping on the parasympathetic system to restore balance post-exercise. A more activated parasympathetic system contributes to a lower resting heart rate.