Accuracy of Heart Rate Monitoring by Some Wrist-Worn Activity Trackers

IN RESPONSE:

Researchers, clinicians, and consumers would all benefit from a better understanding of the accuracy of the features on wearable activity trackers and applications. Each of these groups needs to know how accurate the products are and whether they are accurate enough for a user's intended purpose. This latter consideration greatly depends on that specific intended use. For example, a device could be accurate enough to motivate average consumers to increase the intensity of their exercise sessions but not to monitor vigorous-intensity exercise in a patient with known cardiac risks.

Although we expect the number of peer-reviewed validation studies ...