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Yes, Fitness Bands Are Imprecise. So What?

In response to the story previously highlighted on this blog, found HERE.

by David Pogue via Yahoo Tech and The New York Times

Now that fitness bands are officially a thing, they’re starting to come under new scrutiny. I keep reading these technology blogs where somebody thinks it’s an ingenious experiment to wear several different bands simultaneously — and then to cluck about how different their step counts are at the end of the day.

“The Fitbit Flex registered 7,225 steps for my day, while the UP band registered only 7,095,” you might read. The message: Clearly, these are inaccurate toys. Buyer beware.

In fact, my previous employer, The New York Times, posted a fun, visual exposé of these fitness bands’ inaccuracy. Check it out HERE.

A fitness band contains an accelerometer — basically a three-dimensional motion sensor. It detects the swinging of your arms and concludes that you’re walking.

But as The Times’ graphic points out, you can fool it in all kinds of ways. You can deadlift a barbell, which certainly should count as exercise, but since the band doesn’t detect arm-swinging, it thinks you’re sitting still.

You don’t get any credit when you’re riding a bike, either, or even when you’re swimming, because the band isn’t seeing the usual arm-swinging motion.

Yet when you’re repetitively stuffing Doritos into your mouth, guess what? Then you get step credit.

Well, these all make good stories for a news cycle or so. But all of it misses the point.

Yes, different bands may give you different step tallies for the day. But the purpose of this kind of product isn’t to record exactly how many steps you take — it’s to motivate you to take more. It’s to meet your goals. Earn those badges. Show off improvement to your social network.

It wouldn’t matter if your fitness band tracked steps or bananas or Scotch-tape dispensers; the point is to rack up more than you’re doing now.

And in that department, these bands do an excellent job. I’m the classic customer: I genuinely do walk more, park farther away, opt for stairs instead of escalators or elevators. I’m much more aware of how well I’m sleeping, too, and I make an effort to do better. The silicone band on my wrist truly has made me healthier. And I’m not alone.

Until you’ve tried one, I realize that it sounds absurd: “Yes, we all know that more exercise is better — why do I need a gadget for that?”

But trust me. Something about seeing it on your wrist and on your phone puts it front of mind. It makes a difference.

For complete story, CLICK HERE <—-===========