![]() ![]() Because blood in the arteries is red, it reflects red light and absorbs green light emitted from the LEDs (the light that isn’t absorbed is reflected back). When the heart beats, there is an increase in blood flow through the tiny blood vessels under the skin. It is composed of green LED lights (light-emitting diodes) that shine light through the skin. This is the same technology used by Apple Watch and Whoop band. Oura measures heart rate by using a technology called Photoplethysmography (PPG). Given that this is the main piece of input used by Oura to generate its insights, accuracy is crucial. Heart rate data is used by the Oura algorithm to create many of the useful metrics displayed on the app. The most important component of the Oura ring is the heart rate sensor. This is a great feature and is a clear example of the utility of temperature detection. This is not solely based on the calendar month but on sensing changes in body temperature that happen throughout the menstrual cycle. Oura announced a new period prediction feature which predicts when periods start up to 6 days in advance. This adds a useful level of insight into our bodies’ inner workings when taken together with the other metrics Oura provides. When stress levels are low for example, average skin temperature goes up. Skin temperature can also be used to detect stress and emotional variations. ![]() It could potentially be used to guide our sleep environment temperature. For example, skin temperature changes during different stages of sleep and may be used as a gauge to identify causes of poor sleep quality. This feature is interesting because it gives us more information about what is happening in our bodies day-to-day. I would rather see published studies using Oura sensors directly.Įither way, I do believe Oura sensors are accurate enough to provide us with actionable insights. Instead Oura relied on an unpublished “internal study” to claim that Oura Ring and iButton sensor have a 92% similarity. One problem with this study is that it did not use the same sensor used by the Oura ring itself. The results show that the measured temperature from the finger better reflected body temperature rather than environmental temperature. Oura tested this by conducting a study that analyzed the difference between a research-grade temperature sensor called iButton placed on the finger and a separate sensor which measured changes in the environment. This can make it difficult to derive actionable insights about our core body temperature-a better reflection of our internal environment. The main issue is that normally, skin temperature is a few degrees lower than core body temperature because our peripheries are more easily affected by environmental changes in temperature. There are a few challenges that have been shown in devices using this technology to measure skin temperature. It uses NTC thermistors (special types of resistors that can detect changes as small as 0.1° celsius). ![]() Oura ring Gen3 has 7 skin temperature sensors (compared to 3 in the previous generation). New feature: Improved temperature detection and period prediction This will hopefully make you better informed about the new Oura ring Gen3 and help you decide whether to purchase it or not. I will explain what each of these features means, what I find interesting and what I find less so. I have not used it myself yet but in this article, I break down the new features Oura announced with a critical lens. Oura just announced its generation 3 Ring. Step in the right direction: Oura membership and content library.Remains to be seen: real-time heart rate detection.Least exciting feature: oxygen saturation.Most exciting features: improved sleep detection and period prediction. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |