Ever wondered how a Fitbit tracks your steps and other activities? It uses accelerometer technology to convert your steps and other movements into data, providing detailed information about your exercise habits. Here’s an explanation of how Fitbit measures steps.
Fitbit Inspire 2: Track your steps anywhere (phone optional)
Fitbit uses a 3-axis accelerometer along with a pedometer algorithm to track your movements. When you wear the accelerometer on your body, it converts your physical movements into digital measurements. By analyzing these digital measurements, Fitbit can give you surprisingly accurate information about your exercise patterns and intensity, including:
Accelerometers are small devices that can sense the direction of motion by detecting changes in gravity. They can be found in a wide range of everyday technology, including smartphones and game controllers. When the screen rotates with you when you turn your phone sideways, that's an accelerometer at work.
Accelerometers rely on a technology called MEMS (Micro Electro-Mechanical Systems). A MEMS is a small device that converts movement into an electronic signal that is read by a sensor. In order to track movement in multiple directions, the accelerometer must have multi-axis sensors. Fitbit’s accelerometer has three axes (not just one, like older pedometers), which means it can track movement in any direction.
