Wearable devices promise a lot of quality-of-life improvements, but they’re imperfect. Communications professor James Gilmore shares the top things users should remember before they consult their wrist.
Ten years ago, James Gilmore, associate professor in the Clemson University Department of Communication, strapped his first-ever Fitbit device to his wrist. That simple act of accessorizing began a decade-long pursuit of understanding the notion that wearable technology brings order to an otherwise chaotic life.
His latest smartwatch milestone marks a rare goal, indeed. Gilmore has published a new book that investigates the use of data collected by wearable technology for the purposes of surveillance and power. In Bringers of Order: Wearable Technologies and the Manufacturing of Everyday Life, published by the University of California Press, Gilmore examines how wearable technology is used by companies, organizations and institutions to gather data — and knowledge — about users’ daily lives.
“As these devices become more common — and more complex — I worry that people may be tempted to think less about how they work,” Gilmore explained.
Here are a few key insights Gilmore offers up for being a savvy smartwatch wearer:
1. Remember, steps aren’t really steps.
While it’s tempting to think so-called step counts reflect the number of times a wearer’s feet have completed the action of taking a step, that is not the case. In reality, a combination of sensors and algorithms works together to produce a data point called “a step.” In most instances, something called an accelerometer measures a change in the wearable’s velocity. This is checked against an algorithm, which provides an automatic assessment of whether enough velocity has been reached to count as a step. These components measure how much the wearable moves, not the person.
2. Some skin tones don’t “work” as well as others.
Blood oxygen sensors have become incorporated into many smartwatches. They use a process called photoplethysmography, which uses tiny green LED lights on the underside of a smartwatch to track how blood flows through your wrist. In 2022, a lawsuit alleged Apple was perpetuating racial bias, as its blood oxygen sensors didn’t work as well on darker skin. The case was dismissed, partly because these limitations of blood oxygen sensors have been known to researchers and medical practitioners for years. In other words, it is accepted that some features will not work as well for some people.
3. Your location may not be a secret.
There’s an entire industry made up of people called data brokers who buy large datasets from technology companies and then sell them to advertisers, market analysts or other groups that may be interested in acquiring them. While some companies have taken more steps to reduce or eliminate the sharing of data with third parties, and government agencies have offered strategies for users to limit location sharing, others may still share data among affiliates and service providers. It’s important to check all settings for options to reduce or eliminate data sharing. Otherwise, your private information might not remain private for long.
4. Wearables for consumers aren’t medical grade.
With wearables, as with other tech, it’s important to look carefully at the terms of use. Most devices include boilerplate language about how the data they provide to the wearer should be used recreationally and not replace formal diagnostics from doctors. Even though Apple has received FDA clearance for some of its health testing features — and they may be quite useful for monitoring purposes — if you’re relying on data for health purposes, it’s important to consult a doctor.
5. Wearables can’t predict the future.
While wearable tech can offer powerful insights, understanding how devices work is crucial for making sense of the data they produce. Oura Ring, which pioneered measurements such as “restfulness” that try to measure how well you sleep, recently added a “symptom radar” to try to detect when you might be getting sick. These technologies use sensors such as heart rate monitors and thermometers to detect changes in a wearer’s baseline. While these sickness forecasts may be helpful, they’re like weather reports for the body, detecting changes in the body’s internal atmosphere using available sensors and algorithms. And any claim to predict the future is based on looking for patterns in information from the past.
Adapted from “Smartwatches Promise All Kinds of Quality-of-Life Improvements – Here are 5 Things Users Should Keep In Mind,” in The Conversation, theconversation.com.
