Peake Jonathan M, Kerr Graham, Sullivan John P
Tissue Repair and Translational Physiology Research Program, School of Biomedical Sciences and Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
Sport Performance Innovation and Knowledge Excellence, Queensland Academy of Sport, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
Front Physiol. 2018 Jun 28;9:743. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2018.00743. eCollection 2018.
The commercial market for technologies to monitor and improve personal health and sports performance is ever expanding. A wide range of smart watches, bands, garments, and patches with embedded sensors, small portable devices and mobile applications now exist to record and provide users with feedback on many different physical performance variables. These variables include cardiorespiratory function, movement patterns, sweat analysis, tissue oxygenation, sleep, emotional state, and changes in cognitive function following concussion. In this review, we have summarized the features and evaluated the characteristics of a cross-section of technologies for health and sports performance according to what the technology is claimed to do, whether it has been validated and is reliable, and if it is suitable for general consumer use. Consumers who are choosing new technology should consider whether it (1) produces desirable (or non-desirable) outcomes, (2) has been developed based on real-world need, and (3) has been tested and proven effective in applied studies in different settings. Among the technologies included in this review, more than half have not been validated through independent research. Only 5% of the technologies have been formally validated. Around 10% of technologies have been developed for and used in research. The value of such technologies for consumer use is debatable, however, because they may require extra time to set up and interpret the data they produce. Looking to the future, the rapidly expanding market of health and sports performance technology has much to offer consumers. To create a competitive advantage, companies producing health and performance technologies should consult with consumers to identify real-world need, and invest in research to prove the effectiveness of their products. To get the best value, consumers should carefully select such products, not only based on their personal needs, but also according to the strength of supporting evidence and effectiveness of the products.
用于监测和改善个人健康及运动表现的技术的商业市场正在不断扩大。现在有各种各样带有嵌入式传感器的智能手表、手环、服装和贴片、小型便携式设备以及移动应用程序，用于记录并为用户提供有关许多不同身体表现变量的反馈。这些变量包括心肺功能、运动模式、汗液分析、组织氧合、睡眠、情绪状态以及脑震荡后认知功能的变化。在本综述中，我们根据技术所宣称的功能、是否经过验证且可靠以及是否适合一般消费者使用，总结了一系列健康和运动表现技术的特点并评估了其特性。选择新技术的消费者应考虑它是否（1）产生理想（或不理想）的结果，（2）基于现实世界的需求开发，以及（3）在不同环境的应用研究中经过测试并证明有效。在本综述所涵盖的技术中，超过一半尚未通过独立研究进行验证。只有5%的技术经过了正式验证。约10%的技术是为研究而开发并用于研究的。然而，此类技术对消费者使用的价值存在争议，因为它们可能需要额外的时间来设置并解读所产生的数据。展望未来，快速扩张的健康和运动表现技术市场有很多可供消费者选择的产品。为了创造竞争优势，生产健康和运动表现技术的公司应与消费者协商以确定现实世界的需求，并投入研究以证明其产品的有效性。为了获得最大价值，消费者应谨慎选择此类产品，不仅要基于个人需求，还要根据产品的支持证据力度和有效性来选择。
