Validation of ambulatory monitoring devices to measure energy expenditure and heart rate in a military setting

Abstract

Objectives.To investigate the validity of different devices and algorithms used in military organizations worldwide to assess physical activity energy expenditure (PAEE) and heart rate (HR) among soldiers. Design. Device validation study. Methods. Twenty-three male participants serving their mandatory military service accomplished, firstly, nine different military specific activities indoors, and secondly, a normal military routine outdoors. Participants wore simultaneously an ActiHeart, Everion, MetaMax 3B, Garmin Fenix 3, Hidalgo EQ02, and PADIS 2.0 system. The PAEE and HR data of each system were compared to the criterion measures MetaMax 3B and Hidalgo EQ02, respectively. Results. Overall, the recorded systematic errors in PAEE estimation ranged from 0.1 (±1.8) kcal.min −1 to −1.7 (±1.8) kcal.min −1 for the systems PADIS 2.0 and Hidalgo EQ02 running the Royal Dutch Army algorithm, respectively, and in the HR assessment ranged from −0.1 (±2.1) b.min −1 to 0.8 (±3.0) b.min −1 for the PADIS 2.0 and ActiHeart systems, respectively. The mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) in PAEE estimation ranged from 29.9% to 75.1%, with only the Everion system showing an overall MAPE <30%, but all investigated devices reported overall MAPE <1.4% in the HR assessment.Conclusions. The present study demonstrated poor to moderate validity in terms of PAEE estimation, but excellent validity in all investigated devices in terms of HR assessment. Overall, the Everion performed among the best in both parameters and with a device placement on the upper arm, the Everion system is particularly useful during military service, as it does not interfere with other relevant equipment.

An Experimental Feasibility Study Evaluating the Adequacy of a Sportswear-Type Wearable for Recording Exercise Intensity

“…The heart rate is determined by the ECG recorded by the electrodes embedded in the chest belt, which allows the accurate determination of heart rate the same as clinical evaluations [ 23 , 24 , 25 ]. A possible disadvantage of the chest-belt-type wearable is that it has been known to be a discomfort due to the wrapping around the chest [ 26 ].…”

Human Geometries as Key Starting Point in Sports Performance - Designing Equipment for Individual Performance in Paralympic Sit-Ski

“…Several studies have shown that when measuring HR, using a HR monitor based on ECG technology is preferred over the internal PPG (Castaneda et al, 2018) measurement method located in the clock itself (Ge et al, 2016;Gillinov et al, 2017;Etiwy et al, 2019;Baek, Ha and Park, 2021). HR was measured using the Garmin HRM-Pro belt, and a similar setup has earlier proven to be highly accurate (Gilgen-Ammann et al, 2021). Combining the fact that the positioning system is relatively accurate, that it is possible to obtain HR measurements, and that all data (i.e., position, distance traveled, and HR) is extracted at the same timestamp makes this measuring system a suitable candidate for easy measuring sports equipment performance.…”

Validation of Wearable Device Consisting of a Smart Shirt with Built-In Bioelectrodes and a Wireless Transmitter for Heart Rate Monitoring in Light to Moderate Physical Work

“…PPG detects the pulse rate, corresponding to heart rate, which can be detected from the R wave on an electrocardiogram (ECG). In addition, shirt-type or belt-type and other textile based sensors equipped with ECG measurement electrodes that can be placed in close contact with the chest or other parts of the surface body are also widespread [ 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 ]. For heart rate measurement, PPG-type sensors detect pulse rates from blood flow changes in the vicinity of the measurement area.…”