Smartphone pedometers walk out accuracy

A new study showcases several pedometers inaccuracy

App that displays a phone’s built-in pedometer by Flickr user luna715

Three popular pedometer smartphone applications give inaccurate results, according to a recent study by the University of Toronto, as reported by the Digital Journal.

The Digital Journal also reported, the experiment from the university shows the apps giving their users inconsistent counted steps after their workouts. For many students looking to stay in shape during the semester, it is good to take note of this research.

The two main researchers for this experiment are Professor Guy Faulkner, a professor of Kinesiology, which is the study of how the body moves and develops, and master’s student Krysten Orr. Orr is currently working for her degree in exercise studies at the University of Toronto.

When asked about why Faulkner was partaking in the research, he told the Tech 2 First Post, “If we are interested in encouraging people to be physically active, then self-monitoring is important.”

“But we need to be cautious that they (these apps) may be underreporting, and on occasion over-reporting, your physical activity, and that there are other devices out there that probably do a better job,” the professor added in his interview with the website.

There is nearly hundreds of different exercise related applications on smartphones, and they are available on both Android and the iOS systems. From apps that count calories and help users diet better, like MyFitnessPal to apps that even give out exercises and fitness tips to its users, like Jefit Workout. For students looking to stay fit or start going to the gym more often, they can take comfort in knowing that there are several sources found on their phones with the push of a button.

Pedometer applications are no exception and are commonly found on every student’s smartphone. Either taking a quick stroll through the park before class or running a vigorous cardio routine for a university sports team, any student with a smartphone can download a simple application that will help them keep track of their steps taken during the workout.

The three apps downloaded for studying and experimenting are Runtastic, Moves and Accupedo. Coincidently, all three of the apps are currently free in both the Google Play Store and Apple App Store.

The three apps’ results came from several different tests when compared to a simple pedometer

Tech 2 First Post noticed the two researchers were using the apps to compare them to the basic, $30 pedometer Yamax SW-200.

When using the treadmill to count steps, the researchers noticed that there was nearly a five percent margin of error. The two of them took note of the average steps a person takes a minute, which is about 20 and used that as a basis to measure the inaccuracies.

The Dispatch Triburnal reported that the team recruited 11 to 18 different people, each aged between 22 and 55. The two researchers had the volunteers walk on a treadmill, various stair master related tests and even driving in their cars. The driving portion was used to see if a smartphone’s GPS is causing any problems with the apps.

The results found were that all three apps had a five percent margin of error, the Dispatch Triburnal adds. The Runtastic app proved to only be accurate on the stair tests, however Accupendo did not. The Moves app proved to be the most inaccurate, often coming up either too short or showing that the user over perfomed. The Dispatch Triburnal also reported these surprising statistics.

The Business Insider reported that the GPS signals within a phone can confuse a user for walking, which serves as one of the reasons why the apps are not performing up to speed.

A major inaccuracy from a major brand

While the smartphone applications prove “you always get what you pay for” since they are free apps and all, another popular way to measure steps during a workout is proving to be even more inaccurate.

The FitBit brand is incredibly popular amongst students, despite their high price point. It is a pedometer that the user wears on their wrist and they can connect it with their smartphone. However, despite its popularity, the Business Insider reports some astounding results.

The website reports that certain FitBit models will report a nearly 23 percent margin of error when it comes to doing any cardio related activity.

Working out the errors

At the end of the day, students should do their research when downloading apps for working out or spending the cash on something like a FitBit It is great that a smartphone can help any student out with staying healthy, but it is even better for a student to get the results that they want when it comes to any technology.