Does Versa include SPO2?

[rcooked]

I am curious if this device contains the SPO2 sensor that is hopefully going to add to the Fitbit abilities moving forward.

Moderator edit: updated subject for clarity. 

[starst]

That was a good link to go back and read what we wrote then.

But I’m of the same opinion… I think accuracy is everything. You need accuracy for reliability and repeatability. The wrist won’t provide it. As you mentioned then, even the heartrate is flaky.

But there are sensors that work accurately. They go on the finger, around the finger, on the ear lobe or, as you’ve mentioned, around the chest. Where they will not go? The wrist.

Now we don’t want to wear an ear-lobe sensor probably nor one around the chest, nor a bulky sensor on the tip of the finger. However, a ring is not bad for casual wear nor is the wristwatch. But, just one of them will actually work… It’s not the wristwatch.

So, as I said back then, why don’t they stuff this sensor and integration into a Bluetooth enabled ring that I can wear all day. There is a popular fitness focused ring called oura, but it doesn’t have SPO2, yet.

The one I referenced… wellue has SPO2 and it’s accurate. It’s still not fashion wear and the data must be manually downloaded each day. But, it’s accurate enough that I think everyone should have one.

So, when will Fitbit provide an accurate, or useful or reliable or repeatable SPO2 reading on their watch? Never but then no wrist-based sensor will provide that. And it’s silly because we’ve had inexpensive finger-based sensors forever which put these expensive smart devices to shame.

Others claim they were tricked into buying a device with SPO2 that can’t provide it. That’s a different story. I wasn’t tricked. As much as I would like it to work, it’s just not going to. With enough smoke and mirrors anyone can convince others that something is useful.

There’s a lot of ways to go here… Make a rings sensor to communicate with the watch (or with a smart phone) that can be worn fashionably. The accuracy (of SPO2, heartrate, movement and more) would leave all smartwatches behind. The scope of its usefulness would expand greatly, beyond novelty and fun to actual usefulness.

The caveat to this is, I'm not in this field and I could be wrong. Or, they might find wavelengths of light to use at the wrist that will actually work (penetrate and provide differential). So far, I haven't seen it and it's for sure not in any of your wristwatches today. I'm sure they've tried everything by now. I do know that what they're trying now around the wrist works when used around the finger but not so well on the wrist.

[LanuzaFitbit · Accepted solution]

Hey all!

I wanted to jump in and link you all to this post I made a couple of days ago. I hope it adds a bit of information regarding EOV and SpO2. 

Feel free to reach out if you have any further questions.

[Twill224412]

I am interested to hear any information on what I can do to get sp02.i would love to figure that out. Thanks 

[SunsetRunner]

That's not why we bought the device. That's not we we believed we were getting. When this thing dies I'm done with Fitbit.

Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android

[starst]

Well, I think SPO2 is an important indicator.  There are inexpensive devices that clip on the finger that are very accurate. But wearing a finger clip for activities is not helpful (it falls off or gets in the way). Also, most of them don't save or transfer the data acquired for later viewing and/or analysis.

There are devices that fit on the finger like a sleeve and they connect to a watch for wearing at night. These are very accurate and do all of the above. Having a cable between your finger to your watch is not something you want during activities though. It's OK when sleeping though.  So why not a Bluetooth connection (from sensor to watch or phone)? Well, you need a battery and intelligence in the sensor sleeve (or ring).

Now there are rings that you can wear that provide SPO2 with accuracy. I mentioned one (Wellue). But I imagine there are others. They can be worn in some activities (not sports). They seem a little expensive. They use Bluetooth to manually download the data.  I'll repeat, they are accurate enough that I think everyone should have one.

I can imagine that we'll end up with very fashionable,comfortable and yet accurate (ring sensors) that are fully integrated. We'll use them during sports events, probably underwater and also sleeping. In the morning Alexis will tell us we need to see the doctor. And she'll won't be guessing.

The wrist based sensor won't be able to match this. Why even try?

It's important to know that if you have SPO2, you also have a very accurate heart-rate, not just a number but a heat-beat profile.   But consult a medical expert for its efficacy and usefulness.

There are some apps that can produce read the heart and SpO2 placing your finger on the camera, depending on your phone. I don't know how accurate they are. But the Samsung S6 has some sort of built in sensor but it might be reflective.

I don't know if I can embed a link here but this article below is basically explaining the finger sensors use transmissive oximetry (light goes through the finger) while the wrist based sensor uses reflective oximetry (they measure its reflection). The former is intuitively controllable and accurate.

https://www.embedded-computing.com/embedded-computing-design/measuring-heart-rate-and-blood-oxygen-l...

[pbug56]

People here have responded that they use other WRIST based readers
(watches) and get accurate readings. I don't know how continuous or how
well they work, but my impression was that they are sufficiently accurate
to get the sort of data and readouts that many of us need - and why we
bought the Fitbit models that we did. I don't need perfection, I need
decent, and I can't were something on my finger daytime or overnight for
more than a minute or 2.

Now if do need higher accuracy, let someone build a watch whose band has
the sensor or emitters.

[Den_in_USA]

Although I actually bought a finger SpO2 monitor for my wife, its display cannot be read in the sun, so I just ordered another with an LCD display.

[JPatB]

Definitely interested linking readings to Fit Bit. COPD and Pulmonary Fibrosis sufferers would benefit - lung health as  important as rate readings.  Looking forward to solution  

JPB

[Heatcker]

I actually had the functionality for a few days, and now it seems to have vanished.  I’m a bit miffed.

[Mac-man]

I used a couple of different Fitbit products a few years ago. I finally gave up because of the technical issues that they continuef to have. Now, I heard so many people hyping the Versa 2 that I decided to try it. So far I have been disappointed. The major problem I'm having right now is after about 10 days the sleep score disappeared. I've done everything they recommended including keeping it charged etc., but nothing works. I am one that is still waiting on the oxygen monitor. I really hope Fitbit can resolve these technical issues before they really start losing a lot of customers.

[ChrissyNotTeige]

When, if ever will we be able to spot check spo2 so I don't have to purchase garmin vivosmart 4?

[pbug56]

Which Fitbit do you have? And keep in mind that Fitbit has no plans to
actually tell you what your O2 levels are, just to give you a nearly
meaningless 'variance' chart that you can't even get times for.

They released the Charge 4 and I can't even tell if it has the sensor or
not. People are buying it figuring it does.

[ChrissyNotTeige]

Its the versa lite. I guess that answers my question. It's has the infrared light (sensor) for o2, but is apparently rendered useless, even with the new "sleep variation thing". And no, I'm not looking for it to self diagnose, just as I don't use the  finger o2 sensor I have to self-diagnose...but I enjoy reading the oxygen percent from time to time 😕 Even though I use these daily to check and record on my patient's legal medical records... just was hoping there was a wrist variation (fitbit) as opposed to my separate finger device, to intermittently check oxygen percent (just for the fun of it, not for medical diagnosis purposes of course). Garmin vivosmart 4 it is! Off to Amazon I go to place an order. *sigh*