Navigating the Choice Between Wrist-Worn Research- and Consumer-Grade Wearables to Monitor Movement Behaviours: A...

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Biomedical Engineering
• Human Movement Science

Background:

• Wrist-worn wearables are widely adopted for monitoring movement behaviors in both research and daily life.
• A gap exists in guidance for selecting appropriate devices for specific research contexts, despite overlapping capabilities between consumer and research-grade options.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide an expert-opinion-based framework for selecting wrist-worn wearable devices in movement behavior research.
• To assist researchers, particularly novices, in making informed decisions for device selection.

Main Methods:

• An expert-opinion-based perspective was developed through discussions at a public health workshop.
• A targeted, non-systematic literature review and expert feedback were incorporated.
• The framework is illustrated with case examples in Parkinson's disease movement monitoring and physical activity promotion in older adults.

Main Results:

• A three-dimensional framework for device selection is proposed, considering contextual/procedural, scientific, and device/user requirements.
• The framework aims to balance scientific rigor with practical feasibility in wearable research.
• Guidance is provided to facilitate the effective integration of wearable technologies.

Conclusions:

• This perspective offers practical guidance for selecting wearable sensors in movement behavior research.
• Informed decision-making can enhance the scientific rigor and feasibility of studies using wearable technology.
• The framework supports novices in navigating the complexities of wearable device selection for research.