Could a heartrate strap be unhealthy?

_The_Lone_Wolf_
_The_Lone_Wolf_ Posts: 160 Member
edited November 18 in Fitness and Exercise
I am just wondering, couldt find the answer on internet. The way i see it uses some kind of radiation to pick up the pulse and send the data to my watch? I am using it frequently so just wondering.

Replies

  • faegirl22
    faegirl22 Posts: 60 Member
    I don't think it does, from the way I understand them, they are essentially wireless EKG which measure the electrical impulses the heart gives off when it beats
  • SaraFitwell
    SaraFitwell Posts: 1 Member
    I was wondering the same thing because of the new apple watch and the fitbit hr. (both have the smart pulse system with green led lights) I spent hours looking for anything wrong with them and all I could find is that it is safe and it is a technology similar to what they use in hospitals on your fingertip for measuring oxygen levels (and they leave it on you day and night).
  • lishie_rebooted
    lishie_rebooted Posts: 2,973 Member
    There is radiation everywhere so the minute doses from your HRM aren't going to do jackshit.
  • _incogNEATo_
    _incogNEATo_ Posts: 4,537 Member
    lishie_rebooted wrote: »
    There is radiation everywhere so the minute doses from your HRM aren't going to do jackshit.

    Well that's one way to put it I guess... :trollface:
  • ntnunk
    ntnunk Posts: 936 Member
    No. As @faegirl22 says, it's essentially an EKG device. Measures electrical impulses from the heart beat, then most use a wireless transmission protocol, normally either ANT+ or BTLE/Bluetooth Smart, to broadcast the data. Any device paired with the strap, i.e. your running watch, bike computer, or phone, reads the broadcast data and displays it to you. The only thing here that could even possibly be considered potentially hazardous is the wireless transmitter that the strap is using to broadcast. However, ANT+ has a range of about 10 feet, BTLE maybe 30. In both cases the transmitter power is so low as to be almost negligible. It is RF (Radio Frequency) radiation, but it's barely above the background levels that you're surrounded by all the time and way below the levels of RF that your cell phone generates into your brain when you make a phone call.
  • faegirl22
    faegirl22 Posts: 60 Member
    sprincesa wrote: »
    I was wondering the same thing because of the new apple watch and the fitbit hr. (both have the smart pulse system with green led lights) I spent hours looking for anything wrong with them and all I could find is that it is safe and it is a technology similar to what they use in hospitals on your fingertip for measuring oxygen levels (and they leave it on you day and night).

    Correct, the processor can read whenever the blood travels through the vein and blocks the light from the LED for a minute. Not as accurate as a chest strap but it's not bad. My fitbit HR was only about 10 BPM off my chest strap reading when I was biking last week
  • isulo_kura
    isulo_kura Posts: 818 Member
    It doesn't use Radiation
  • glevinso
    glevinso Posts: 1,895 Member
    80TAURUS80 wrote: »
    I am just wondering, couldt find the answer on internet. The way i see it uses some kind of radiation to pick up the pulse and send the data to my watch? I am using it frequently so just wondering.

    Radiation? What? No.

    It is simply measuring the electrical impulses generated by your heart and transmitting them via an EM signal to your head unit. The signal it sends out is significantly weaker than any other similar signal you are exposed to 24/7 with all the other devices around you.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    isulo_kura wrote: »
    It doesn't use Radiation

    Yes, it does. Anything that transmits wirelessly uses "radiation".

    But no, there is no danger.
  • disasterman
    disasterman Posts: 746 Member
    ntnunk wrote: »
    No. As @faegirl22 says, it's essentially an EKG device. Measures electrical impulses from the heart beat, then most use a wireless transmission protocol, normally either ANT+ or BTLE/Bluetooth Smart, to broadcast the data. Any device paired with the strap, i.e. your running watch, bike computer, or phone, reads the broadcast data and displays it to you. The only thing here that could even possibly be considered potentially hazardous is the wireless transmitter that the strap is using to broadcast. However, ANT+ has a range of about 10 feet, BTLE maybe 30. In both cases the transmitter power is so low as to be almost negligible. It is RF (Radio Frequency) radiation, but it's barely above the background levels that you're surrounded by all the time and way below the levels of RF that your cell phone generates into your brain when you make a phone call.

    This is exactly right. Glad I saw your reply before I wrote it up myself.
  • glevinso
    glevinso Posts: 1,895 Member
    Mr_Knight wrote: »
    isulo_kura wrote: »
    It doesn't use Radiation

    Yes, it does. Anything that transmits wirelessly uses "radiation".

    But no, there is no danger.

    Sure - but I get the feeling the OP was thinking "radiation" as in "ionizing radiation" IE "the bad kind". Not "electromagnetic radiation" which is obviously not the same thing.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    edited May 2015
    Microwave radiation is non-ionizing, but I sure as heck wouldn't want to stand in front of a microwave transmission tower or remove the shielding from my microwave oven.

  • glevinso
    glevinso Posts: 1,895 Member
    edited May 2015
    Good thing HRM straps don't use microwaves (which is just a specific energy level of EM) :)
  • mwyvr
    mwyvr Posts: 1,883 Member
    edited May 2015
    glevinso wrote: »
    Mr_Knight wrote: »
    isulo_kura wrote: »
    It doesn't use Radiation

    Yes, it does. Anything that transmits wirelessly uses "radiation".

    But no, there is no danger.

    Sure - but I get the feeling the OP was thinking "radiation" as in "ionizing radiation" IE "the bad kind". Not "electromagnetic radiation" which is obviously not the same thing.

    Absolutely, many folks bring up with concern the term "radiation" without understanding the difference.

    ANT/ANT+ transmitter chips for heart rate straps issue very low data rate transmissions, consuming current measured in millionths of an Ampere -- this is extraordinarily low and is why the tiny CR2032 button cell lasts upwards of a year.

    ANT/ANT+ sensor products are exceedingly low output power devices, exposing the user to radio frequency energy many orders of magnitude lower than the cell phone in the pocket of their jeans.

    Your WiFi router in your home exposes you to more RF energy than an ANT/ANT+ heart rate monitor, as does the Starbucks you wander into as does the laptop on your lap as does the cell phone tower down the block as does your wireless scale in your bathroom as does...

    Edit: In short, the answer is no, ANT/ANT+ and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE/Bluetooth Smart) devices do not pose a health risk to the user.


  • _The_Lone_Wolf_
    _The_Lone_Wolf_ Posts: 160 Member
    Whoah didnt expect so many answers, just came back from my work out but thank you all very much for the clearing it up.

    Wasnt sure if radiaton was the right term, English not my native language but seems i have nothing to worry about :#
This discussion has been closed.

Categories