The Features and Benefits of Fitness Tracking Technology

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Fitness tracking devices have become popular health and wellness products. A wearable device designer should be aware of the types of data that can be collected and how sensors and other components work together to obtain, condition, digitize and transmit information. Learn more about how fitness trackers work and consider how your wearable device idea can benefit from sensor technology.

Fitness Tracking Data

Fitness trackers are capable of gathering a wide range of data. Product designers can consider whether a device they may be designing should be able to detect the following types of data:

  • Altitude: air pressure and impact on performance

  • Bioimpedance: resistance for measuring body mass, hydration and respiration

  • ECG/EKG: electrical signals generated by heart muscles

  • Heart rate: heartbeat when active or resting

  • Motion: movement in all directions, steps or sleep quality

  • Temperature: measures heat

Most leading wearables include altitude, heart rate and motion sensors. Bioimpedence, ECG/EKG and temperature sensors are somewhat less common. Designers should consider the intended uses and market for a device when determining which sensors to include. Our IoT design services can offer guidance during the product development process.

Wearable Sensors

Fitness tracking devices contain a variety of sensors. A wearable device designer may want to include some of the following components:

  • Accelerometer: 3-axis sensor tracks motion in all directions and counts steps

  • Ambient light sensor: reduces signal interference for optical sensors, adjusts screen brightness

  • Barometer: measures air pressure to determine altitude

  • Bioimpedance: tests resistance for measuring body mass, hydration, respiration

  • Biopotential: ECG/EKG electrical signals, R-R interval

  • Gyroscope: determines motion, rotation or physical orientation

  • Heart rate monitor: optical sensor that detects movement of blood in surrounding capillaries

  • Temperature: built-in component or patch that measures heat

Sensors connect to signal conditioning circuits and output is digitized by an analog-to-digital converter. Some product development companies get around the need for original design from the ground up by relying on integrated systems that combine basic sensors with signal processing, digitization and transmission components.

Tracking Benefits

There are many benefits to collecting data through sensors when combined with a well-designed wearable device and user interface. Most users appreciate step counts and exercise modes made possible with an accelerometer, barometer, gyroscope and heart rate monitor. Once raw readings have been conditioned and analyzed, this information provides a useful index for activity levels and overall health measurement. A wearable device designerwill need to develop suitable methods for obtaining and presenting this data. IoT design services can be helpful to product development companies striving to create functional and user-friendly fitness tracking technology.

IoT Design Take Mobile Apps To A New Level

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Smart technology takes home appliances to a whole new level. Smart products that rely on mobile apps for control are changing how consumers interact with products. Appliances that use smart technology have to be concerned about mobile application issues as well as a product’s design. Consumers judge connected appliances that are part of the Internet of Things (IoT) by the quality of their mobile apps, not only by how well the product works. Here are some guidelines for IoT design for manufacturers:

Consider the Person Using the Product

Although you may consider the product’s hardware the center of gravity for use, the consumer looks at the mobile app as the product. The app has to be a focal point of design through the design process. You can’t design the mobile app as an afterthought. Instead, the IoT product design has to integrate user experience of the mobile app as part of the integrated, holistic design throughout the entire process.

Savvy consumers expect a lot out of their mobile apps. Smart product applications have to be easy to install, navigate and update. The aesthetics of the app must give the user a great experience, which means that as a manufacturer, you can’t cut corners on app development.

Investing in the Future

Today’s smart products will continue to add capabilities as the technology becomes available. When you code software for IoT apps, your company will need to anticipate functionality updates that consumers may demand in the future. It might be cheaper to use hybrid codes when developing the program, but custom, native coding may make your app design more flexible and easier to update when your developers are responsible for the coding.

Mobile App Testing

IoT apps must be tested for quality, simplicity, functionality and UX at several stages of the development process. There is a complex interplay between the device, the software, cloud applications and more. As a manufacture, you need to include in your project management several layers of testing. Many manufacturers underestimate the time testing phases takes and the time required for corrections to be completed. It is better to iron out as many design flaws as possible early in the development process

Create Minimum Viability for Data

Many manufacturers want to create the biggest and best mobile app experience, packing in as many new and exciting features that they can into the app. With IoT products, it’s better to aim basic product functionality primarily for the first release. Get to market quickly with the primary features, then collect data based on actual customer usage for future updates.

Although your product might be your “baby,” you can benefit from the expertise of an industrial design firm in PA to be onboard before you start doing any prototypes or application testing. A creative new product design engineer with some skills in IoT design for manufacturers and design for medical products can be invaluable in taking your smart appliance idea to the next level and make it work for consumers.