Is the “heart rate” measured by the smart bracelet or smart watch accurate?

Usually, the pulse rate obtained by the smart bracelet or smart watch using the photoelectric sensor is relatively accurate, but it does not reach the medical level. Although the same principle is used as the medical-grade pulse oximeter, due to the different location of the PPG signal, the smart watch/restle can only adopt a reflective scheme on the wrist. The quality of the PPG signal collected on the wrist is much worse than that of the finger, and later it relies on algorithms to calculate the heart rate. That’s why each company is flaunting how powerful their “heart rate” algorithm is – “hardware” is not enough, and “software” is to help. Fortunately, there are still very good “heart rate” algorithms on the market, such as Firstbeats, Huawei and so on. Another important reason is the congenital product form of the smart watch/hand ring. When wearing a bracelet/ring, the position of the photoelectric sensor and the degree of proximity to the skin will change with the movement of the human body, which will cause pulse measurements to become inaccurate. However, if you use it to see the pulse/heart rate in a resting state, the smart watch/hand ring is actually very accurate enough to let ordinary people know their pulse/heart rate. For some sports scenarios, pulse rate/heart rate can also provide some reference value. If the requirements for heart rate monitoring are relatively high (exercise exercise scenario), you can choose the heart rate chest strap. The basic principle is to analyze the heart rate through electrocardiogram, which is more accurate in theory, but it has not reached the medical level at present, but it is enough for general exercise monitoring. Many professional athletes or some amateur sports enthusiasts will choose such products during scientific training/exercise.

The development of technology has brought convenience to people’s lives; in turn, people’s needs have promoted technological progress – smart watches/hand rings are such a product. Although the “heart rate” test of smart watches/hand rings has not reached the medical level, it can really help people exercise better and fitness, which has a certain practical value. I believe that in the future, the continuous development of technology will make wearable smart hardware more helpful to people.