Accuracy of Distance Recordings in Eight Positioning-Enabled Sport Watches: Instrument Validation Study

Abstract

Background Elite athletes and recreational runners rely on the accuracy of global navigation satellite system (GNSS)–enabled sport watches to monitor and regulate training activities. However, there is a lack of scientific evidence regarding the accuracy of such sport watches. Objective The aim was to investigate the accuracy of the recorded distances obtained by eight commercially available sport watches by Apple, Coros, Garmin, Polar, and Suunto when assessed in different areas and at different speeds. Furthermore, potential parameters that affect the measurement quality were evaluated. Methods Altogether, 3 × 12 measurements in urban, forest, and track and field areas were obtained while walking, running, and cycling under various outdoor conditions. Results The selected reference distances ranged from 404.0 m to 4296.9 m. For all the measurement areas combined, the recorded systematic errors (±limits of agreements) ranged between 3.7 (±195.6) m and –101.0 (±231.3) m, and the mean absolute percentage errors ranged from 3.2% to 6.1%. Only the GNSS receivers from Polar showed overall errors <5%. Generally, the recorded distances were significantly underestimated (all P values <.04) and less accurate in the urban and forest areas, whereas they were overestimated but with good accuracy in 75% (6/8) of the sport watches in the track and field area. Furthermore, the data assessed during running showed significantly higher error rates in most devices compared with the walking and cycling activities. Conclusions The recorded distances might be underestimated by up to 9%. However, the use of all investigated sport watches can be recommended, especially for distance recordings in open areas.

Smart Watch Versus Classic Receivers: Static Validity of Three GPS Devices in Different Types of Built Environments

“…This finding is consistent with the study carried out during the Trollinger Half-Marathon, where an overall mean absolute percentage error of 0.6% was observed in the GNSS-enabled devices, of which the Garmin devices performed the most accurately [38]. The satisfactory location of movement is also confirmed by the fact that none of the distance measurements on the track and field area using the Garmin Forerunner device exceeded a 5% deviation [34].…”

“…Moreover, these studies mainly focus on one type of device, such as smartphones [28][29][30], and on one specific environment or location [31][32][33]. According to previous studies [34][35][36][37], the accuracy of this information can vary significantly in different environments, so it is important to test these devices across several environmental settings. As these devices can be reasonably expensive, particularly in studies with a large number of participants, it is also important to test the accuracy of less expensive devices and non-research-grade consumer wearables (e.g., smart watches).…”

Research on User Experience of Sports Smart Bracelet Based on Fuzzy Comprehensive Appraisal and SSA-BP Neural Network

“…According to a number of studies, AI sports equipment with exercise programs may increase positivity [ 8 , 9 ]. Among them, smart sports bracelets are a commonly used intelligent wearable device in sports today [ 10 , 11 ]. By collecting data and browsing health records, sports smart bracelets can monitor physiological data during exercise [ 12 ].…”

A Smart Shoe Insole to Monitor Frail Older Adults’ Walking Speed: Results of Two Evaluation Phases Completed in a Living Lab and Through a 12-Week Pilot Study

“…Previous studies have shown the possibility to monitor mobility-related activities based on motion sensors, but few explicitly mentioned acceptability issues or used experimental research designs to evaluate clinical applications in older people [ 16 , 22 , 50 , 51 ]. Most systems consisting of multiple sensors or devices are difficult when applied in long-term monitoring in real-life (eg, the DynaPort MoveMonitor weighs 44.5 g and is fixed with an elastic belt [ 15 ]).…”