The Science

Your BodyMedia® FIT Armband has multiple sensors. Those innovative sensors take 5 different “views” of your life:

Motion The Armband contains an accelerometer, a device that measures motion. (Your car air bag has an accelerometer in it that lets it know when you've been in an accident.) We use it to measure HOW you move from multiple axis and perspectives, allowing us to better understand your activity.
Steps We count your steps, using the accelerometer to measure the distinct patterns created by walking and/or running.
Galvanic Skin Response When you sweat, your skin becomes more electrically conductive. This measurement help us see how active you are.
Skin Temperature There's an electronic thermometer inside your armband that helps us know how hot you are.
Heat Flux When you move, your muscles produce heat. We measure the heat that's flowing from your body into the environment.

Once we've gotten these “readings” we can determine what kind of exercise you're getting, and how difficult it is for you. That's important since your body burns calories differently than anyone else's.

Our clinically proven algorithms crunch your numbers – pairing up sensor data with calorie information and presenting it to you via the BodyMedia FIT Activity Manager… so you know how far you are toward reaching your goals!

BodyMedia online Activity Manager screenshot


BodyMedia FIT is Clinically Proven to be Accurate

The BodyMedia FIT System has been Clinically Proven to Accurately Measure the Amount of Physical Activity and Calories

A recent independent study tested our Armband system in real-life situations. Participants engaged in "free living" activities, including brisk walking, running, bicycling, sedentary activities, home activities, home repair, occupational activities, strength training, and ball games. The study compared the armband to a $40,000 "portable oxygen analyzer", the gold standard for measuring calories. Results showed:

  • Total Calories for free living activities: mean error <10%.
  • Total Minutes of exercise: mean error <5%.

Source: British Journal of Sports Medicine. July 2008.