Scariest piece of Technology Used

[Polisman]

The scariest thing I've used recently is a smart watch (from a big brand merchant) with a blood pressure monitor, which gives erroneous readings nearly all of the day (even compared to an analogue one).

Fair puts the wind up you when you see 195/155 on screen.

These devices surely have a long way to go as accurate health monitors..

[kwackers]

It can't possibly measure blood pressure from a watch - not unless it inflates around your wrist.
They use various tricks to 'guess' the blood pressure from other measurements. The correlation isn't great though and if one of the other readings is skewed then they can be miles out.

Pulse should be OK though although if it's zero but you can still see the screen I'd suspect a watch fault...

[Tangled Metal]

They're increasing what can be measured but BP? Not likely.

Btw I read an interesting interview possibly in the guardian from the research and development director at iirc IMO who made various versions of early optical hrm. She explained where their research was leading. Basically they were working with highly respected medical and sports science departments of top universities to research possible metrics. At that time HRV was being considered a very important metric in the future. They were leading the way at the time.

Anyway 5+ years later every tom dick and harry tech company has optical hrm devices. As to HRV (sorry, heart rate variability) well it's in the latest optical hrm devices and used to detect sleep patterns I believe but especially stress. It's a good metric if you understand it a bit.

[Cugel]

I diagnose a bad case of gizmoiditis - the compulsion to buy and use expensive gadgets that don't accurately tell you data that you don't need to know.

The cure is a small lump hammer; or a sledge hammer if you want a quick cure (but mind you don't put your back out).

Cugel

[mercalia]

I diagnose a bad case of gizmoiditis - the compulsion to buy and use expensive gadgets that don't accurately tell you data that you don't need to know.

The cure is a small lump hammer; or a sledge hammer if you want a quick cure (but mind you don't put your back out).

Cugel

I have a donation box you can place your cash you would otherwise waste

[Polisman]

The HRM metric is very good on the watch, I've tested it against a good chest strap monitor, but how they can market these things as Blood pressure devices is beyond me. My brother in law has an inflatable BP cuff device and I might try a test of two with the watch. Not holding my breath.

Any other devices that put the willys up you? Digital scales with built in fat monitoring is on the wife's list of must have xmas presents..

[merseymouth]

Hi there, We risk straying into dangerous waters with so-called health monitors, a little knowledge being a dangerous thing!
I have enough worries dealing with well qualified health professionals. Example - My Stroke Consultant states that I must have a Low Fat Diet, typical advice! But sadly this is diametrically at odds with my Oncology Consultant, who states I must maintain a High Fat Regime!
Which route do I follow?
So what techo gadget would bee appropriate for my life-style? IGICB MM

[Polisman]

Medical professionals, (one would assume) have access to much more sophisticated and accurate equipment than can be had over the counter in the retail sector. HRM watches though use the same technology used in hospital bedsides to monitor heart rate and are said to be within 1% of professional medical equipment.

I use my monitor to track my pulse rate over the day. This gives me a good indication, not only how my fitness is improved, but also how rested I am afterwards. I also use it to predict minor illness like colds, throat infection ect. When my resting pulse over the course of a morning is above 70, I know there's some bug coming down the pipeline and adjust my cycling and level of intensity accordingly. Sleep quality measurement is also useful, a feature I don't really use tbh.

I dont think however, that comprehensive and accurate health monitoring via a watch and phone are all that far away. I for one would be very glad of regular cholesterol checks without having to visit a clinic to do so. Home kits are Available but don't get great reviews.

[Psamathe]

Quite a few years ago I got myself a blood pressure measuring device (I needed to double check things before I paid for a pilots medical which needed all sorts of heart tests and I'd not ha dmy blood pressure measured in many many years). Even back then (10+ years ago) and for dedicated proper (retail) devices it was recognised that upper arm was the more accurate i.e. upper arm inflating band vs the non-continuous, round the wrist type of thing e.g.

.

If you are buying a home blood pressure monitor, choose one that measures your blood pressure at your upper arm, not your wrist or finger.

Ian

[PH]

Scariest technology? Anything connected to the internet, it eats time, how can it be 11 o'clock, I've not done a quarter of the things intended this morning...

[Psamathe]

Scariest technology? Anything connected to the internet, it eats time, how can it be 11 o'clock, I've not done a quarter of the things intended this morning...

For me it's those devices people put in their rooms to listen in to everything and send everything you say to Google/Amazon/Facebook/Apple.

I still wonder about the need for TV Remote controls (getting up and moving to the TV never used to be such a hindrance) but needing some tracking corporation listening in to everything seems a step too far. I'd be less concerned if they were operating locally and only going to the internet for necessary info (rather than passing everything to corporate servers) i.e. you say "<whoever> switch on the lights" is all done locally whereas "<whoever> who is the king of Thailand?" and the device can do a Google/DuckDuckGo/Quant search for the name of the king but all voice recognition done locally on the device/in your home.

Ian

[NUKe]

had a similar experience with a serve your self blood pressure machine at the doctors. I was off the scale. to the point that they wouldn't let me go home until I had seen the nurse to take it properly. the machine was like a giant sleeve you put your whole arm inside. I think I had gone in to flight or fight mode by the time it took the reading. fortunately the practice nurse got a more normal reading. I suffer from White coat syndrome as it is, but that machine I was just off the scale.