Technology makes it easy for one to fall prey to a sedentary lifestyle. We live in an electronic-heavy environment today with automated home systems that may turn on our lights or TVs and are regularly hooked into our work computers. However, the same technology can also motivate us to enhance our health and fitness by expanding our access to telemedicine, physical therapy, and exercise, or even by reminding us to take our medication on time and keep chronic health conditions like diabetes under control. Wrist-wearable devices such as Fitbits and Apple Watches allow us to monitor and manage our physical and mental health directly from our wrists. In addition to displaying time and date, smartwatches offer heart-rate sensing, step counting, temperature sensing, health alerts, sports modes, and many other useful features. By tracking your health and sending relevant and timely reminders, smartwatches can help us monitor and improve our health. How are smart watches improving our health?
- Sleep Monitoring
Sleep monitoring is available on almost all smartwatches, even the most affordable ones. Actigraphy, which is motor detection mostly at the wrist, and heart rate detection are two common techniques used to detect sleep-wake patterns. An accelerometer or gyroscope is used to determine the stage of the sleep cycle we are in In addition, a smartwatch can also rate the intensity of sleep from light to moderate to deep.
- Health Reminders
Wearing a smartwatch allows us to keep track of our activities at all times. Besides reminding us to drink water and eat our meals regularly and on time a smartwatch also sends us notifications when we are sedentary for too long. A wearable device can also correct bad postures and help you enhance your mental health through associated apps. Furthermore, some smartwatches also offer menstrual cycle trackers so that women can monitor their menstrual health.
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- Medication reminders
Patients with chronic conditions requiring frequent medications or those currently taking one should follow their doctor’s prescription guidelines. The best patients do adhere to their medication schedule, but it’s easy to miss a dose or forget to refill something. We can now set reminders, automate dose tracking, and automate reminders on our smartwatches to make sure we are managing our prescriptions correctly.
4. Reduced Healthcare Costs
Preventive care and early detection reduce overall healthcare costs through timely warning of potential health risks. Researchers have found that smartwatches can detect certain heart diseases such as atrial fibrillation (AFib), sooner through digital health sensors). Some studies suggest wearable devices can also diagnose illnesses like the common cold. In addition to detecting diseases, smartwatches like the Apple Watch can monitor heart function and other cardiac health issues through diagnostic data and electrocardiograms (ECGs). Often, medical costs can be reduced by preventive monitoring, detecting illnesses early, and seeking appropriate treatment.
5. Step counting
In every smartwatch, step counting is one of the most basic features. Users can create daily goals that are compatible with their capacities and then execute them. Smartwatches alert us when our daily goal has been met and encourage us to reach our step targets daily.
With a 3-axis accelerometer, wearable trackers continuously detect body movements and use this to count steps. The tracker records data continuously throughout the time it is being powered up and worn and can determine with good accuracy if the wearer is walking forward, running fast, or standing still.
6. Tracking Diet and Calories
A healthy diet is the fundamental key to physical and mental well-being. Although we all intend to stick to our diets, it’s easy to lose focus or get distracted. Calorie counting, healthy eating habits, meal planning, and adhering to a schedule require a lot of planning and attention. Thanks to smartwatch apps, it’s easy to track and log your calorie intake for each meal. Many apps include a database of dietary information, including food items and the number of calories in a typical serving.
The AI Behind Fitness Trackers
As our lives get busier, we barely have time to exercise, practice yoga, or engage in any form of physical activity regularly. Further, maintaining a healthy diet while being on the run becomes challenging! In addition, the realm of diets is a source of confusion. We often wonder which diet is best. Which plan should be chosen? All of these can seem overwhelming. However, artificial intelligence is here to assist us.
AI revolutionizes fitness through smart fitness equipment that makes our lifestyle more effective and efficient. These are some of the current fitness trends that use artificial intelligence
1.Smart gym equipment
AI is used to develop smart gym equipment that tracks progress, adjusts resistance levels, and provides a personalized workout regime. For instance, some treadmills use AI algorithms to generate unique running schedules based on users’ fitness levels and objectives.
Besides recording reps and sets, these devices can also offer enhanced features such as online exercise classes. The market is expanding quickly, indicating that this form of gym equipment is becoming increasingly popular. According to certain reports, the connected fitness equipment market will be worth $5.96 billion by 2025. Users can anticipate having more options for smart gym equipment in the future.
2.Smart fitness Clothes and Wearables
Smart clothing and wearables powered by AI are making significant progress. These clothes and wearables have in-built sensors that assist in correcting biomechanics (e.g. golfer swinging), enhancing athletes’ performance metrics, mending postures, and improving fitness. Asensei and Wearable X are the popular brands in this category.
3.AI-Driven Diet Planning
AI-powered diet and food planning apps make your dieting efforts more effective. If you are looking to lose weight or improve your fitness, an AI-driven diet planning tool can assist you best.
Personalized Diet Charts – Choosing the right foods is essential for accomplishing any fitness goal. Studies have revealed that in addition to exercise, diet, and nutrition play an equally important role in health and fitness. AI-powered apps help build customized diet charts (vegetarian, non-vegetarian, vegan, protein or carb-rich, etc) for best results, based on your fitness levels, profile, and fitness goals. Some popular apps in this category include FitGenie and HealthifyMe.
4. Predictive analytics
- AI can not only help you monitor and reach your fitness goals but can also push you to achieve more! For instance, several fitness applications employ predictive analytics to project users’ future levels of fitness and recommend plans for achieving them. These solutions help fitness enthusiasts push their boundaries and reach higher levels of fitness than their initial goals.
Concluding Thoughts
Wearable technology appears to have the potential to revolutionize the way we monitor, diagnose, and treat health conditions in the future. Their benefits are extensive, as are the benefits they bring to our lives. These devices enable close monitoring of health, diet, and activity levels while adhering to our busy lives. Continuous monitoring also facilitates the timely detection of any impending health issues, enabling better healthcare and treatment. Wearable technology has the potential to improve patient outcomes, reduce healthcare costs, and revolutionize the way we approach healthcare.
References
- https://www.analyticssteps.com/blogs/how-ai-revolutionizing-fitness-industry
- https://www.rswebsols.com/tutorials/technology/wearable-tech-reshaping-healthcare-industry
- https://www.livescience.com/best-fitness-tracker
- https://www.news-medical.net/health/How-do-wearable-fitness-trackers-measure-steps.aspx
- https://www.dqindia.com/fitness-transformation-5-ai-driven-fitness-trends-to-watch-in-2023-and-beyond/
- https://www.datto.com/blog/5-amazing-applications-of-deep-learning-in-cybersecurity
- https://nyulangone.org/news/top-five-fitness-trends-help-you-rejuvenate-your-workout-reach-your-goals
Edited By: Naga Vydyanathan