If you are tracking your health and fitness progress using Fitbit, you may want to stop. A new study has found Fitbit to be inaccurate. It is causing concerns for the company. This comes on the heels of a lawsuit filed against Fitbit. The lawsuit is about the data inaccuracy the smart device provide to consumers. Is Fitbit a scam? The findings of the device’s woes are supported by two scientific studies. However, the company insists that both studies are biased. Could the war against smart device accuracy lead to an investigation of the Apple Watch? Or is Apple safe from the witch hunt?
Fitbit Scam Study
It is sometimes difficult to argue science. The recent study conducted by Cal Poly researchers has found startling differences in data between Fitbits and experiment control devices. The researchers tested heart rates of 43 healthy subjects. They used Fitbit’s PurePulse, and a BioHarness device that produced electrocardiogram (ECG) rhythms. The participants were tested at rest. And they were tested doing exercise, including jump rope, jogging, and stair climbing. The study found that the Fitbit devices inaccurately calculated heart rate by an average of 20 beats per minute.
Fighting the Deadly Findings
Naturally, Fitbit denounced the findings of the study. The company claimed that the research was in fact bias. Since it was conducted at the expense of the law firm involved in the lawsuit. They may have a valid argument, except that this isn’t the first study. Research conducted by Ball State University found similar inaccuracies with the device’s heart rate data. They found an average error rate of 14 percent. A miscalculation of 20 beats or 14 percent can have serious implications for someone doing exercise. Especially for those who may have chronic heart conditions and use the device to stay within a healthy heart rate.
Is the Apple Watch Next?
The lawsuit and research findings against Fitbit could cause a cascade of studies examining the accuracy of smart devices. The Apple Watch could be on that list. The Apple Watch does promote health and fitness. The smart device has a heart rate monitor and calorie counter. The Apple Watch could also be used by those with chronic medical conditions, and an inaccuracy could put them at risk. Is there any overseeing medical body for these smart devices? Or can anyone simply build a smart watch and say it works?
