Accuracy of a smartphone pedometer application according to different speeds and mobile phone locations in a laboratory context

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Abstract

Background

The purpose of this study was to compare the accuracy of a smartphone application and a mechanical pedometer for step counting at different walking speeds and mobile phone locations in a laboratory context.

Methods

Seventeen adults wore an iPphone6© with Runtastic Pedometer© application (RUN), at 3 different locations (belt, arm, jacket) and a pedometer (YAM) at the waist. They were asked to walk on an instrumented treadmill (reference) at various speeds (2, 4 and 6 km/h).

Results

RUN was more accurate than YAM at 2 km/h (p < 0.05) and at 4 km/h (p = 0.03). At 6 km/h the two devices were equally accurate. The precision of YAM increased with speed (p < 0.05), while for RUN, the results were not significant but showed a trend (p = 0.051). Surprisingly, YAM underestimates the number of step by 60.5% at 2 km/h. The best accurate step counting (0.7% mean error) was observed when RUN is attached to the arm and at the highest speed.

Conclusions

RUN pedometer application could be recommended mainly for walking sessions even for low walking speed. Moreover, our results confirm that the smartphone should be strapped close to the body to discriminate steps from noise by the accelerometers (particularly at low speed).

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Most cited references 24

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Validity of 10 electronic pedometers for measuring steps, distance, and energy cost.

Scott Crouter, Patrick Schneider, Murat Karabulut … (2003)

This study examined the effects of walking speed on the accuracy and reliability of 10 pedometers: Yamasa Skeletone (SK), Sportline 330 (SL330) and 345 (SL345), Omron (OM), Yamax Digiwalker SW-701 (DW), Kenz Lifecorder (KZ), New Lifestyles 2000 (NL), Oregon Scientific (OR), Freestyle Pacer Pro (FR), and Walk4Life LS 2525 (WL). Ten subjects (33 +/- 12 yr) walked on a treadmill at various speeds (54, 67, 80, 94, and 107 m x min-1) for 5-min stages. Simultaneously, an investigator determined steps by a hand counter and energy expenditure (kcal) by indirect calorimetry. Each brand was measured on the right and left sides. Correlation coefficients between right and left sides exceeded 0.81 for all pedometers except OR (0.76) and SL345 (0.57). Most pedometers underestimated steps at 54 m x min-1, but accuracy for step counting improved at faster speeds. At 80 m x min-1 and above, six models (SK, OM, DW, KZ, NL, and WL) gave mean values that were within +/- 1% of actual steps. Six pedometers displayed the distance traveled. Most of them estimated mean distance to within +/- 10% at 80 m x min-1 but overestimated distance at slower speeds and underestimated distance at faster speeds. Eight pedometers displayed kilocalories, but except for KZ and NL, it is unclear whether this should reflect net or gross kilocalories. If one assumes they display net kilocalories, the general trend was an overestimation of kilocalories at every speed. If one assumes they display gross kilocalorie, then seven of the eight pedometers were accurate to within +/-30% at all speeds. In general, pedometers are most accurate for assessing steps, less accurate for assessing distance, and even less accurate for assessing kilocalories.

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Pedometer-measured physical activity and health behaviors in U.S. adults.

O Hill, Laura Thompson, Jennifer D. Bassett … (2010)

U.S. adults may have lower levels of ambulatory physical activity compared with adults living in other countries. The purpose of this study was to provide descriptive, epidemiological data on the average number of steps per day estimated to be taken by U.S. adults and to identify predictors of pedometer-measured physical activity on the basis of demographic characteristics and self-reported behavioral characteristics. The America On the Move study was conducted in 2003. Individuals (N = 2522) aged 13 yr and older consented to fill out a survey, including 1921 adults aged 18 yr and older. Valid pedometer data were collected on 1136 adults with Accusplit AE120 pedometers. Data were weighted to reflect the general U.S. population according to several variables (age, gender, race/ethnicity, education, income, level of physical activity, and number of 5- to 17-yr-old children in the household). Differences in steps per day between subgroups were analyzed using unpaired t-tests when only two subgroups were involved or one-way ANOVA if multiple subgroups were involved. Adults reported taking an average of 5117 steps per day. Male gender, younger age, higher education level, single marital status, and lower body mass index were all positively associated with steps per day. Steps per day were positively related to other self-reported measures of physical activity and negatively related to self-reported measures on physical inactivity. Living environment (urban, suburban, or rural) and eating habits were not associated with steps per day. In the current study, men and women living in the United States took fewer steps per day than those living in Switzerland, Australia, and Japan. We conclude that low levels of ambulatory physical activity are contributing to the high prevalence of adult obesity in the United States.

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Accuracy of five electronic pedometers for measuring distance walked.

Sophia S. Leggett, Keith Hunter, Jennifer D. Bassett … (1996)

This is a three-part study that examined the accuracy of five brands of electronic pedometers (Freestyle Pacer, Eddie Bauer, L.L. Bean, Yamax, and Accusplit) under a variety of different conditions. In Part I, 20 subjects walked a 4.88-km sidewalk course while wearing two devices of the same brand (on the left and right side of the body) for each of five different trials. There were significant differences among pedometers (P < 0.05), with the Yamax, Pacer, and Accusplit approximating the actual distance more closely than the other models. The Yamax pedometers showed close agreement, but the left and right Pacer pedometers differed significantly (P = 0.0003) and the Accusplit displayed a similar trend (P = 0.0657). In Part II, the effects of walking surface on pedometer accuracy were examined. Ten of the original subjects completed an additional five trials around a 400-m rubberized outdoor track. The devices showed similar values for sidewalk and track surfaces. In Part III, the effects of walking speed on pedometer accuracy were examined. Ten different subjects walked on a treadmill at various speeds (54, 67, 80, 94, and 107 m.min-1). Pedometers that displayed both distance and number of steps were examined. The Yamax was more accurate than the Pacer and Eddie Bauer at slow-to-moderate speeds (P < 0.05), though no significant differences were seen at the fastest speed. While there are variations among brands in terms of accuracy, electronic pedometers may prove useful in recording walking activities in free-living populations.

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Author and article information

Contributors

Bastien Presset

Balazs Laurenczy

Davide Malatesta

Jérôme Barral

Journal

Journal ID (nlm-ta): J Exerc Sci Fit

Journal ID (iso-abbrev): J Exerc Sci Fit

Title: Journal of Exercise Science and Fitness

Publisher: The Society of Chinese Scholars on Exercise Physiology and Fitness

ISSN (Print): 1728-869X

ISSN (Electronic): 2226-5104

Publication date PMC-release: 19 May 2018

Publication date (Print): August 2018

Publication date (Electronic): 19 May 2018

Volume: 16

Issue: 2

Pages: 43-48

Affiliations

[a ]Institute of Sport Sciences, University of Lausanne, Quartier UNIL-Centre, Bâtiment Synathlon, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland

[b ]Scientific IT Services, ETH Zürich, Weinbergstrasse 11, 8001, Zürich, Switzerland

Author notes

[∗ ]Corresponding author. jerome.barral@ 123456unil.ch

Article

Publisher ID: S1728-869X(17)30316-7

DOI: 10.1016/j.jesf.2018.05.001

PMC ID: 6323165

SO-VID: 0877c91e-677a-4059-8ccc-cc4de5f3409c

License:

This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

History

Date received : 23 November 2017

Date revision received : 26 April 2018

Date accepted : 6 May 2018

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Accuracy of a smartphone pedometer application according to different speeds and mobile phone locations in a laboratory context

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Abstract

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Most cited references 24

Validity of 10 electronic pedometers for measuring steps, distance, and energy cost.

Pedometer-measured physical activity and health behaviors in U.S. adults.

Accuracy of five electronic pedometers for measuring distance walked.

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Cited by 6

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