University of Michigan study finds Galaxy Watch health measurements impressively accurate

Last year Samsung partnered with the University of Michigan, specifically the Michigan Performance Research Laboratory (MiPR), to study and improve the accuracy of measurements provided by its Galaxy Watches. Now they are ready to share their findings.

The MiPR studies found high correlation between the data reported by the Galaxy Watches and sport science reference devices when measuring heart rate, body fat percentage, sweat loss and VO2 max (the last two features were introduced with One UI 4.1). Here’s the breakdown:

• Heart rate: probably the most commonly used health feature on a watch, the study showed a 90% correlation with electrocardiogram equipment when running (which is trickier than measuring when standing still since the watch bounces around constantly).
• Body fat percentage: here the watches did even better, showing a 95% correlation with the standard diagnostic test of dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA).
• Sweat loss: this is a measurement of the amount of water a runner has lost during their run and is used to guide rehydration afterwards. The watches achieved 95% correlation when tested on distances ranging from 2.5km to 20km (1.5-12 miles).
• VO2 max: this measures how much oxygen is absorbed by the body during a workout. Compared to clinical-grade equipment, the watches achieved an acceptable correlation of 82%.

“We are excited to continue our partnership with Samsung to ensure that innovations in wearable technology are accessible and accurate across all segments of the population. HPSSC and MiPR are eager to unveil these outstanding outcomes that solidify our commitment to enhancing heart rate and health monitoring and are looking forward to future collaborations,” said Kenneth Kozloff, HPSSC co-director.

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