Wearable Heart Rate Monitor Technology Accuracy in Research: A Comparative Study Between PPG and ECG Technology
Abstract
Wearable heart rate (HR) monitors typically implement photoplethysmography (PPG) technology and are used in research as an alternative to electrocardiogram (ECG). However, questions surrounding the accuracy of PPG technology exist. To provide an answer regarding the question of accuracy, we conducted a study to compare average HR readings of two different HR technologies (PPG vs. ECG) after an interval style cardio-based workout. A total of 30 trials were conducted and average HR readings from the two HR technologies were compared using an ANOVA. Results revealed no significant difference between the two technologies. However, when HR reached around 155-160 beats per minute, a difference of +/− 5 beats per minute was observed between the two technologies with PPG HR readings being less than ECG. As a result, future research could consider the wearable PPG HR technology as accurate, but with certain experimental design implications.
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Darker skin contains more melanin, which absorbs more green light than lighter skin.
“likely because darker skin contains more melanin which absorbs more green light than lighter skin.”
From Investigating sources of inaccuracy in wearable optical heart rate sensors (2020) · cites this paper as [29]
Inaccurate PPG heart rate measurements occur up to 15% more frequently in dark skin than in light skin.
“previous research demonstrated that inaccurate PPG HR measurements occur up to 15% more frequently in dark skin as compared to light skin”
From Investigating sources of inaccuracy in wearable optical heart rate sensors (2020) · cites this paper as [29]
Cites
How accurate is pulse rate variability as an estimate of heart rate variability?
Schäfer, A., & Vagedes, J. (2013) · International Journal of Cardiology · doi:10.1016/j.ijcard.2012.03.119 · Cited by 661 · cited 3× · see citing works
“In fact, the usefulness of heart rate variability as a clinical diagnostic and research tool has previously been verified (Schafer & Vagedes, 2013).”
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Investigating sources of inaccuracy in wearable optical heart rate sensors
Bent, B., Goldstein, B. A., Kibbe, W. A., & Dunn, J. P. (2020) · npj Digital Medicine · doi:10.1038/s41746-020-0226-6 · Cited by 673 · see citing works
Guidelines for wrist-worn consumer wearable assessment of heart rate in biobehavioral research
Nelson, B. W., Low, C. A., Jacobson, N., Areán, P., Torous, J., & Allen, N. B. (2020) · npj Digital Medicine · doi:10.1038/s41746-020-0297-4 · Cited by 241 · see citing works
An Ultra Low Power Personalizable Wrist Worn ECG Monitor Integrated With IoT Infrastructure
Beach, C., Krachunov, S., Pope, J., Fafoutis, X., Piechocki, R. J., Craddock, I., & Casson, A. J. (2018) · IEEE Access · doi:10.1109/access.2018.2864675 · Cited by 91 · see citing works
- Authors
- Weiler, D. T., Villajuan, S. O., Edkins, L., Cleary, S., & Saleem, J. J.
- Affiliations
- University of Louisville (US)
- Venue
- Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2017-09
- Volume
- 61
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 1292-1296
- ISSN
- 0163-5182 (ISSN-L)
- 1071-1813
- 2169-5067
- OpenAlex
- W2765157217
- Cited by
- 87
- References
- 1
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 11 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 18 · 2021: 13 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 12 · 2018: 2
- FWCI
- 2.34
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Biomedical Engineering › Non-Invasive Vital Sign Monitoring
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine › Heart Rate Variability and Autonomic Control
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Complementary and alternative medicine › Cardiovascular and exercise physiology
- Keywords
- wearable heart rate monitor, photoplethysmography, electrocardiogram, heart rate accuracy, heart rate response to exercise, measurement error, wearable sensors
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