Does the heart rate monitor work for black people or other dark brown skinned people?

[tmadsen]

Pulse oximeters read through the fingernail, which is why you can't be wearing nail polish for them to accurately read your O2 saturation and pulse.

 

[iEd]

According to Apple's website there are other factors can affect a accurate reading or getting a reading at all.
A person may have to use the monitor as just a gauge.
I'm sure there will be testing on this by someone once the watch has been out for a while and it can be tested with various skin colors.
There will also be comparisons with other devices that measure heart rate. At this point it's all speculation until someone does some A+B testing.


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[jean15paul]

Where have you found information saying it uses infrared? I've been assuming that the Apple Watch is a photoplethysmogram, which uses LEDs to illuminate in the visible light spectrum.

Photoplethysmogram - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I've not been able to find any discussion around whether skin color affects accuracy of such devices, but given that they're used in hospitals (those finger-clip HR monitors), I'm going to be pretty confident that they work fine. Would love to hear more though.

I got that from this verge article which says it uses a combination of visible light and infrared. I assume this is accurate. http://www.theverge.com/2014/9/9/6126991/apple-watch-four-back-sensors-detect-activity

 

[bdtrader]

Here is some info directly from Apple on the heart rate monitor: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204666

 

[XtoEvolution]

Why wouldn't it?

 

[jean15paul]

Here is some info directly from Apple on the heart rate monitor: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204666

Thanks good info on the technology. No mention of skin tone's effect though.

 

[jean15paul]

Why wouldn't it?

The Apple watch uses both green light and infrared to see the blood inside your skin. I'm wondering if melanin in the skin (i.e. dark skin) would obscure the light passing through the skin.

It seems like a perfectly reasonable question to me. And I've tried to ask it as seriously and scientifically as I can. But apparently some people's think I'm being unreasonable or just trolling. smh

 

[John Yester]

Nope. I use the Fitbit charge and it uses the same rate system. Green LED that flicker and the sensor reads skin regardless of skin color. Pulse Ox works the same way on the finger tip

 

[iEd]

http://fusion.net/story/60771/will-the-apple-watchs-coolest-feature-work-for-people-of-color/


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[jean15paul]

Nope. I use the Fitbit charge and it uses the same rate system. Green LED that flicker and the sensor reads skin regardless of skin color. Pulse Ox works the same way on the finger tip

Finger tip pulse ox gives me no comfort because finger tips are not brown. But I'm glad to hear that the Fitbit Charge works. That makes me feel better.

 

[jean15paul]

http://fusion.net/story/60771/will-the-apple-watchs-coolest-feature-work-for-people-of-color/


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THANK YOU iEd!!!

See! Completely legitimate question and one with precedent because apparently it's been a problem with similar technology in the past.

Although the article takes away the confidence that John Yester's Fitbit just gave me. John have you tested it with different skin tones?

 

[John Yester]

The Fitbit. Yes


I have multiple friends and at work with them. with no issues based on skin tones

 

[Bifurcated]

Here is some info directly from Apple on the heart rate monitor: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204666

This was a good find; well done.

I can't wait to get an Apple Watch and compare its accuracy to the Mio and chest-mounted designs.

And interesting to see that practically, if you have darker coloured skin, the bottom line is, your battery drains faster. But I'm guessing, better that than get crap readings.

 

[jean15paul]

This was a good find; well done.

I can't wait to get an Apple Watch and compare its accuracy to the Mio and chest-mounted designs.

And interesting to see that practically, if you have darker coloured skin, the bottom line is, your battery drains faster. But I'm guessing, better that than get crap readings.

Does this mean the technology is racist?!?!?!

#joking please don't have a fit. LOL