RESEARCH
Study: Your Fitbit stinks
S
Bunn, along with Tiffany Sears, Elmer Alvalos, Samantha Lawson and Ian McAlister — all undergrads at the time of the study — set out to test the accuracy of wrist-worn activity trackers Fitbit, Garmin, Apple iWatch and Jawbone; as well as the hip-worn Digi-Walker.
O
And the numbers weren’t even close. Fitbit underestimated steps by as much as 10 percent at all speeds, according to the study, published last year in the International Journal of Exercise Science. All of the tested devices underestimated steps, according to the study, with Garmin performing the best at a -2.7 percent difference from actual counted steps. Fitbit, Garmin and Jawbone got progressively worse with increasing speed, whereas the iWatch performed the worst at the slowest and fastest speeds.
Rhymes With Orange: Hear Jennifer Bunn talk more about her fitness wearables research and what brought her to Campbell on our podcast. iTunes
M AG AZIN E .CAMP BE LL.EDU
strya virginiana, Carya illinoinensis and Nandina domestica are just a few of the specimens found on golf courses at Keith Hills Country Club that will forever live on, thanks to digital herbariums. Campbell's College of Arts & Sciences, alongside similar programs at N.C. State and Appalachian State, received funding from the National Science Foundation to preserve, document and archive thousands of plant specimens for scientific study around the world. Christopher Havran, associate professor of biology, and a team of student researchers set a goal of adding 4,701 specimens to the Southeast Regional Network of Expertise and Collections herbarium in one week. Each specimen acts as a snapshot of a plant in time in space. Plucked from nature and dried in a controlled environment,
“
BILLY LIGGETT
RESEARCH
'Digital herbarium' takes root online
Studying 10 “recreationally active” participants walking on treadmills at fivedifferent speeds, Bunn’s study found that the Fitbit — the most sought-after of the fitness wearables, according to Amazon — was the worst when it came to accurately counting steps in a controlled setting.
“If the reason you’re wearing these devices is to simply become more active, then this data might not matter,” Bunn says. “But if you’re relying on your steps for something like Stepbet [a walking challenge app] or to collect information on your caloric expenditure, then this is important to know. The fact that your data is wrong can really affect whether or not you’re achieving your goals.”
PHOTO BY BILLY LIGGETT
orry, step-counters. Your Fitbit isn't as reliable as you think it is. That’s what recent research by Jennifer Bunn, director of research and associate professor in Campbell’s Doctor of Physical Therapy program, has determined.
a specimen enters a herbarium by being properly identified by its scientific name, collector, location found, habitat, description and date of collection. Digitizing this information allows anyone to access a high-resolution digital image of plant specimens at Campbell freely online, reducing costs and damage through shipping while increasing research infrastructure. Botany students at Campbell are introduced to this process during the first week of class and submit at least three accurately documented plant specimens as part of their coursework. LEAH WHITT JARVIS
I want Campbell nurses to be known for having a brain, a mouth and a backbone. The brain to figure out what's happening at the bedside. The mouth because you're the only person who can speak up for that patient. And the backbone to call a doctor at 2 a.m. and say you need to come in and see them now.” — Nancy Duffy, director of nursing, on what she wants from her future graduates
C A MP B E L L M AG AZ I N E 13