Posted on 04/02/2020 5:56:11 PM PDT by ProtectOurFreedom
Fitbit data significantly improved detection of influenza-like illness (ILI) in US patients, according to a study published in The Lancet.
Acute infections can cause individuals to have higher-than-normal resting heart rates (RHR), increased sleep duration and frequency, and a decline in activity levels, all of which can be measured using wearable technology. Because an increasing number of people are using personal activity monitors, researchers assessed whether population trends data from one wearable device, Fitbit, may help improve real-time influenza surveillance and limit the potential impact of the disease.
The investigators obtained de-identified heart rate and sleep activity data from 200,000 individuals who used a Fitbit from 3/16 to 3/18 in the US. They used the data from the 5 states with the most device wearers in order to determine whether changes in an individual’s weekly RHR and sleep activity as determined by the Fitbit correlated with the ILI rates reported by the CDC at a statewide level. Data from the first year (3/16-3/17) was used to build an analytic model and data from the second year (3/17-3/18) was used for validation. ...adequate data came from 47,249 users who wore a Fitbit consistently during the study period and included 13,342,651 total RHR and sleep measurements.
Fitbit data significantly improved ILI predictions in all 5 states...corresponding to improvements from 6–33%.
...several study limitations. 1. external factors other than illness can influence an individual’s RHR and sleep. 2. owners of wearable devices are typically wealthier than the general population, potentially making them less likely to have comorbidities that could make them susceptible to more severe infections.
(Excerpt) Read more at medicalbag.com ...
I could see this being combined with the Kinsa Thermometer and the Estimote wearable providing an accurate real-time assessment of who is sick, where they've been, and who else might be infected.
Of course, there are some slight privacy issues to be worked out. This would probably go over real well in Communist China. There might be some objections in the US of A.
Who'll be first with the "666" comment?
It seems a great way to monitor a captive population like zoo animals.
I’m sure I don’t want to be watched over so assiduously “for my own good”.
I noticed the same thing a few years ago — the resting heart-rate graph was a perfect predictor of some things. The sensors and analytics are getting increasingly more sophisticated. This will be a powerful tool for good or evil. How do you feel about Google buying Fitbit?
666
Dunno about ‘666’ but it’s perhaps a serendipitous development for FitBit’s bottom line.
Occam would suggest that it’s just lucky timing, but others might wonder . . .
“privacy issues”
My issue is not really the privacy issues, it is the dependence on the Cloud to record the data. My Microsoft Band is of no use now, they shut down the cloud service. My wife had the Pebble it shut down too.
I really like my Microsoft Band wish I could continue using it with a sync to my desktop.
Jawbone was another one that shut down
Just what we need, a wrist gadget to tell us, “You are going to die!”
lol need a like button for that
My dang Apple Watch does this too whether i want it too or not. At least i can prevent it from sharing with anyone unless i want it to. Of course at my advanced age it’s not such a bad idea.
I think Google buying Fitbit is awful. The LAST thing I want is more of my personal data winding up in Google servers. Or Amazon’s for that matter. I trust Apple and their security FAR more than Google or Amazon.
Kind of related — I bought an Emfit QS to go under my mattress to help figure out what I can do to improve my sleep. It uses “ballistocardiography” to contactlessly monitor your heart rate and respiration rate while you sleep. It measures the variation in your heart rate (”Heart Rate Variability” or HRV) to measure your “recovery” during sleep. They’ve found it, too, can predict when you are starting to get sick. So far I haven’t gotten sick while using it, so I can’t report on it’s efficacy for that. The company claims that their system is used by top-level athletes to improve their recovery after intense training (that most assuredly is NOT me).
I’m just old fashioned. Not doing anything interesting but I prefer to do it in private.
There was a small millimeter wave radar system called S+ by ResMed that you put on your nightstand to remotely monitor your sleep quality. People really liked it, but they shut it down. The tech seems to have been acquired by Sleepscore Labs, but they didn’t pick up the previous customers and don’t serve their units.
It’s a huge problem with small companies getting acquired, then the acquiring company shutting down the tech system they purchased. You are often left with a useless brick.
I’ve worked out many years with a heart rate monitor. Even a hint of an upper respiratory infection will increase my rate by 20 bpm.
Ha !
That's about my opinion of this damned Windows 10 Cartoon OS.
Yes, apples/oranges, but still.
Wow, that’s a lot.
I don’t need a fitness tracker to tell me I am sick. I can feel it through fever, sore throat, trouble breathing and such. Interesting that these trackers are correlating with what I feel. Now if I could just get my FitBit to take my temperature and blood pressure, I’d be set.
I’ve been using Elite HRV for a few years for training.
Some days doing intervals, getting to max was difficult for me.
Some said to be careful what you eat on HIIT days, I didn’t see much difference.
After setting an HRV baseline and a few training schedule changes to follow the HRV optimum days, ride it right to the max, most days as reported in the daily readiness.
Maybe not the bacon and egg breakfast days?
Friends tell me their daily readiness score drops if they had a second beer the night before, and I believe it.
"Perhaps the cause was SATAN!"
What a world - I still exercise and monitor my health the old fashioned way - I just do it w/o the need for some gadget to remind me...
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