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Methodology for Establishing a Community-Wide Life Laboratory for Capturing Unobtrusive and Continuous Remote Activity and Health Data
Published on: July 27, 2018
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Collecting health-related research data using consumer-based wireless smart scales.
Erlend Johannessen1, Jonas Johansson2, Gunnar Hartvigsen3
1Department of Computer Science, UiT, The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway.
International Journal of Medical Informatics
|March 19, 2023
Summary
Consumer smart scales have evolved significantly, with new body composition metrics emerging since 2015. Despite their growing availability, research use of these connected devices remains limited, suggesting trend analysis as a key application.
Area of Science:
- Health Informatics
- Biomedical Engineering
- Consumer Health Technology
Background:
- Overweight and obesity are significant public health issues linked to diet and physical activity.
- Smart scales and wearables offer insights into population health, metabolism, and disease risk.
- Integrating body composition and activity data could enable personalized health monitoring and digital twins.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the evolution of smart scales over the past decade.
- To map the features and sensors of available smart scales.
- To review smart scale research applications and identify future research tools.
Main Methods:
- Systematic search of web shops and scientific literature databases for smart scales and their research usage.
- Data extraction from manufacturer websites, user manuals, and retail listings.
- Analysis of device evolution, sensor capabilities, and research publication trends.
Main Results:
- 165 smart scales from 72 manufacturers (2009-2021) were identified; 28% were discontinued.
- Core metrics (fat, muscle mass) remained stable; advanced metrics (visceral fat, protein) increased post-2015.
- Despite market growth, research utilization of connected smart scales is limited.
Conclusions:
- Smart scale technology has advanced, offering detailed body composition analysis.
- The limited research application may stem from accuracy concerns, favoring trend analysis.
- Further research is needed to leverage smart scale data for health monitoring and interventions.
