Fitness tracker

Wearable heart rate monitors for athletes were available in 1981. Improvements in technology in the late 20th and early 21st century made it possible to automate the recording of fitness activities, as well as to integrate monitors into more easily worn equipment. The RS-Computer shoe was released in 1986. Early examples include wristwatch-sized bicycle computers that monitored speed, duration, distance, etc., available at least by the early 1990s. By at least the early 2000s, wearable fitness tracking devices were available as consumer-grade electronics, including wireless heart rate monitors that could be connected to commercial-grade exercise machines in gyms. Fitness trackers later diversified to include wristbands and armbands (so-called smart bands) and smaller devices that could be clipped wherever preferred. In 2006 Apple and Nike released the Nike+iPod, a sensor-equipped shoe that worked with an iPod Nano. By 2010 logging apps had been introduced, many of which enabled the direct sharing of data to Facebook or Twitter. Fitness trackers became appealing to consumers because of gamification, the social aspect of connected social media, and competition between friends. In 2016 there were several advances made in fitness tracking for kids, with a variety of options from organizations such as UNICEF and Garmin. ==Tracker formats==

Most consumer fitness trackers are worn on a wristband similar to a wristwatch. This type of tracker usually includes a digital display for data. Wrist-based trackers may be prone to error during exercise involving rapid arm motion. Many devices primarily intended as smartwatches also function as fitness trackers. An early example was the Apple Watch, which has offered fitness tracker functions since 2014. Another format for fitness trackers places sensors inside of earphones. These trackers rely on a smartphone to display data, similar to ring-based trackers. Earphone-based fitness trackers use sensors to take readings directly from the capillaries located within the ear. Due to their placement, these trackers can give results for blood pressure, electrocardiogram, and body temperature more accurately than rings or wristwatches. Fitness trackers placed in the ear are also well suited to the assessment of heart rate. showing the numbers that track a typical run watch showing conditions for a workout watch tracking activity and health data == Wearable sensors ==

Wearable sensors have been widely used in medical sciences, sports, and security. Wearable sensors can detect abnormal and unforeseen situations, and monitor physiological parameters and symptoms through these trackers. This technology has transformed healthcare by allowing continuous monitoring of patients without hospitalization. Medical monitoring of a patient's body temperature, heart rate, heart rate variability, brain activity, muscle motion, and other critical data can be delivered through these trackers. Moreover, in sports training, there is an increasing demand for wearable sensors. For example, measurement of sweat rate was possible only in laboratory-based systems a few years ago but is now possible using wearable sensors. Heart rate variability (HRV) has the potential to determine the quality of an exercise regimen. Additionally, HRV is recommended among the athletic community as a warning sign for over-training. In these ways, HRV can be used to optimize performance. ==Medical uses==

Fitness trackers are not medical devices. However, newer models approach the US definition of a Class II medical monitor, and some manufacturers hope to eventually make them capable of alerting to a medical problem, although FDA approval would be required. Detection of atrial fibrillation Activity tracking has been utilized to keep track of atrial fibrillation (AF), an irregular and chaotic heartbeat, which is accountable for a majority of strokes in the United States. Professionals rely on the ambulatory electrocardiogram (EKG) to record AF but soon found wearable wristbands to be useful for regular usage. A systematic review covering 35 studies and 7454 participants, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, found that fitness trackers increased people's physical activity by an average of 1850 steps/day. It is unclear whether activity changes occur in children and adolescents. Monitoring stress and mental illness Smartwatches have been involved in monitoring stress and other mental health issues. A study was done analyzing the different types of devices, ranging from bulky wearables to smaller, portable devices with sensors that can detect depression, anxiety, and any form of stress. Parkinson's disease prediction Physical movement tracking can be used as a predictive analysis tool to determine the risk of Parkinson's Disease in individuals. Alerting for caregivers Other fitness trackers are intended to monitor vital signs in the elderly, epileptics, and people with sleep disorders and alert a caregiver to a problem. Animal health Fitness trackers have been designed for animals, for example collar-mounted fitness trackers for dogs. ==Performance problems==

Certain movements of the user can distort the results obtained from fitness trackers as seen in a test conducted by Stiftung Warentest where the products were unable to accurately track a bike ride, and the determined values for the human energy transformation were erroneous. Large deviations in heart rate measurements have been observed from wristlet trackers, so for maximum accuracy it is recommended to use chest straps. ==Privacy concerns==

There have been some privacy issues regarding the data collection of activity-tracking apps, as a user's health can be tracked into a "digital health footprint". The apps of some fitness trackers transmit personal data and private address lists to servers on the internet without notifying or asking the user. There have also been many concerns about privacy issues with menstruation and reproductive health-tracking apps. In 2014, Jawbone developed a system called UP for Groups which could provide employers with aggregated data from employees' wearable fitness trackers and apps. ==Psychological impacts==

Research has been carried out on the gamification of health apps, where users earn incentives and rewards based on their health goals. Though this can make the app engaging, there was concern it could trivialize health apps and deter the users from their genuine health goals. ==See also==