Stroller Mode

[fudge22]

Many fitbit users push strollers and face the issue of steps not being tracked while pushing a stroller. What if fitbit created a stroller mode, which used a different step-tracking algorithm designed to mimic arm movements while pushing strollers or carts? If possible it can also detect steps with the current algorithm as well. This improved algorithm will be able to track the subtle up and down movement of the watch while pushing a stroller. 

This may require a lot of research, but if it isn't too difficult to adjust the step tracking algorithm, this could definitely be a possibility. 

Moderator Edit: Updated title for clarity & labels.

[Rich_Laue]

When the tracker is in the pocket. it moves up/down with your body. 

When the tracker is on the arm which is rolling across the floor holding onto the handle of the cart, there is no up/down motion and therefore not many steps will be counted. It is as if the fitbit is sliding across the floor. 

This is a problem with all arm based trackers. 

[Lsellman15]

I would love a way to count steps while pushing a stroller. I always walk with stroller since I have young kids. It not counting my steps is the reason I haven’t worn my Fitbit in 3 years. I would for sure buy a new one if it counted steps even with arms not swinging 

[Rich_Laue]

A Fitbit Zip that doe not look at atm motions counts steps very accurately c

[swampmilkweed]

My email handler is not letting me reply to these posts even when I use the provided link. I am glad Fitbit is working on this. I do fine with looping my Alta in a belt loop while pushing grocery cart. The only issue it remembering to do this. When my Alta is in a pocket or on a belt loop, it does not miss any steps. I had it fall out of a pocket once, so that is why I now do the belt loop instead.

[SamInWa]

Since they have discontinued the Fitbit One (and mine is broken... again), I'm trying out an Alta and using it in my pocket. I'm having mixed results compared to the One. 

Currently they ask you if you are wearing your item on your left or right wrist and which is your dominant hand "handedness".

How about you have a setting that you wear the device in your pocket or on your waist? You could basically apply the same algorithm that you do for the pocket based devices (assuming the accelerometer hardware is comparable) ?

For me, this would be a full time setting, so I'd be happy with it being part of the setup configuration process just like the wrist setting. For other folks who are asking for a "mode" I can see how they would like to be able to quickly switch from one mode to another. On a small device, I can see how that would be a user interface challenge.

[SuperSher007]

It's disappointing that 2 years after the suggestion for some kind of stroller mode there is still no acceptable resolution to this issue. I bought an Alta HR in March and most of my evening walking is pushing a jogger, zero of which steps or HR are logged. I am considering returning for a refund.

Is Fitbit working to fix this issue for it's consumers?

[SandiLynn]

All Fitbit devices should do this without having to put it in a mode. I mean they are step counters and have been around for years surely there is a way to make them more accurate under any circumstance. 

[LauraCoups]

I was thinking it would be great if pushing a stroller could be an option you could choose from the trackable with gps list... perhaps users could input weight of baby and stroller... those of us counting calories and trying to work off that baby weight would love the extra credit! I run while pushing my three year old in the stroller and it is hella harder than running without the stroller!!!!!!!

[xraybex]

Please Please please add this feature. I am a health care provider and spend a lot of my shifts pushing stretchers. It is not practical for me to put my watch in my pocket when at work. Common Fit bit this cant be hard to accommodate! 

[TeigrPrincess]

I'm glad that you're working on the task, but I have a Charge HR 2 and can't afford to buy another fitbit just because of this problem. At the moment I put the tracker piece in my pocket when I am using the stroller but I'm always forgetting to take it out and put it back onto my wristband. Also I have problems when I'm writing - if I wear it while I'm typing, I get step counts from the arm movement, so I take it off and it assumes that I have gone to sleep!

[ElleBee60]

I have an old Ultra which I *know* is accurate because if I walk 20 steps
it shows 20 steps. Wore both recently on a walk, not even with a stroller,
and it showed 1000 + steps less on the Charge 2. Not very impressed. NB -
the reason I did this test was a strong feeling my step count was wrong.

[AmandaShock]

This would be a wonderful feature with parents who have children. I would love to take my son on long walks in his stroller and have the steps accounted for.. same with grocery shopping. Pushing with one arm can be difficult.

[cryhavocado]

 Just here to show support for a better way to track steps while pushing a stroller. It counted 1k steps with my arm on the stroller and I took the same walk and pushed with one arm (not easy) and it tracked nearly 6k! A different algorithm based on GPS and stride or anything would be better than missing out on recording steps. Mommas and other stroller/ cart pushers want to reach goals and win challenges too! 🙂

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@fudge22 wrote:

Many fitbit users push strollers and face the issue of steps not being tracked while pushing a stroller. What if fitbit created a stroller mode, which used a different step-tracking algorithm designed to mimic arm movements while pushing strollers or carts? If possible it can also detect steps with the current algorithm as well. This improved algorithm will be able to track the subtle up and down movement of the watch while pushing a stroller. 

This may require a lot of research, but if it isn't too difficult to adjust the step tracking algorithm, this could definitely be a possibility. 

Moderator Edit: Updated title for clarity & labels.

---

[AmandaShock]

I agree, stroller mode would be fantastic!!

[lee-marie]

I am in the parts department at work, so I spend a part of my day holding parts against me. Or if I have to go upstairs/downstairs carrying something, I always put the item in my less dominant hand (left hand - which is where I wear my FitBit Charge 2) leaving my dominant hand free. I spend a good portion of my day walking, but not moving my arm because of carrying parts. A stroller mode or something similar would be excellent! 

[reesha7591]

Dear Designers, I'm writing this for a flex 2 suggestion, but others may have this problem so it may apply to all fitbit trackers. It would be incredibly helpful if steps were counted which are made during normal activities, but which do not involve swinging or flailing arms r are not confused by arm movements or lack thereof.  My steps are not counted when pushing a grocery cart, baby stroller, person in a wheel chair, etc.  They are not counted when I carry a tray, books, more than one cup of coffee, or when filling a bottle from the spigot of my 5-gallon dispenser - even if I am stepping while waiting for the vessel to fill. I saw some people write that they want a clip-on added because their steps mowing the lawn are not counted either. My steps are also not counted when I use a treadmill, elliptical, stair stepper, airport people mover, escalator, staircase, etc., because I use the rails or safety bars for - yes - safety!  These are all normal stepping activities that normal people do in their normal daily routines.  I don't understand why it's not designed into the device. I should not have to purchase separate pendants, clip-ons (apparently nonexistent), ankle bands, and the like, just to accommodate the fact that a STEP tracker is designed to track ARM MOVEMENT rather than steps. Seems like a basic design flaw. According to customer service, the work around is to manually enter steps.  I followed the limited instructions and found that I needed to guess how many steps I took in a two hour grocery shop or other activity mentioned above. To manually enter, you also have to guesstimate the distance walked.  Really? How many miles is 2 hours around the grocery store? Otherwise, so far I am enjoying the flex 2 and it's other features. Thanks for considering taking another look at the design.

[ewiggin]

Please find a way to address this issue. Walking one handed with the stroller so that the tracker can recognize steps is awkward at best. Many people seem to have this complaint, so finding a solution seems like a reasonable request. 

[reesha7591]

No way am I buying another, different device in order to fix a design flaw in a device I only purchased in June.  You should definitely put the issue of pushing carts/strollers/mowers, or carrying babies, books, waiter's trays, packages, etc. on your little pre-test to determine which device is right for you.  Having no mention of this problem during the selection process is not quite ethical salesmanship.  Also, the suggestion to strap the device on one's ankle is hilarious when you think of the millions of people who are walking because of some health condition that causes chronic swollen ankles.  Just snap it off and put it in your pocket if you have a pocket?  Really? 1) Any of you ever easily unsnapped a Flex 2? That snap is tighter than a snapping turtle's clenched jaw! and 2) The majority of women's clothes do not have pockets, or they have those tiny little decorative pockets that aren't really meant to carry anything. Come on, Fitbit. We don't just purchase these things willy-nilly. We purchase based on your promises of certain functions. Your suggestion is simply unacceptable that a solution to the my-arms-are-other-otherwise-occupied problem is for us to have to purchase a new device. If the Fitbit can track steps from a pendant or a pocket (neither of which has arm movement), it can surely be corrected to count steps when the arms are otherwise engaged. A step counter should count steps, not waving arms.

[Craigside]

I think people are wasting their time moaning about "stroller steps not being counted", because FitBit will not take any action to address this issue that affects a comparatively small number of users.  It is easy to fit on ankle and works perfectly, indeed there is a popular online auction site that has several different types of ankle strap/band on offer to suit anyone, that look good, are inexpensive and be practical and comfortable?  So maybe just slip it onto your ankle at times when pushing your stroller. I've been using my Blaze for almost 12 months and it is fabulous!

[LZeeW]

@LizFitbit  Your comment that the Ionic is better when pushing a cart/stroller seems like utter nonsense to me.  I tested my Ionic on multiple occasions and found it do be no better than any other wrist tracker I have used.  Meaning no steps counted.

Nonsense.  Tell your engineers to go back to the drawing board.

[reesha7591]

@Craigside Jogger - so very sorry if our "moaning" bothers you.  I suggest that if this is not a problem for you, perhaps you want to go to a different topic and quit moaning about our moaning.  Who are you to decide that we should have to purchase extra accessories for the Fitbit to count our steps when we are legitimately stepping (albeit with a stroller, jogger, grocery cart, sales sample case, lawn mower, luggage or other push/pull device or carrying heavy weights such as books, groceries, boxes, etc.)?

Fitbit is marketed as a step counter, not an arm swing counter. Some of us have health conditions that prevent using ankle straps, have already taken the time and effort to find and select a Fitbit and made our purchases. Your suggestion that we now go shopping again to find our own workaround for the device's failure to do its basic function does not add to the conversation, but instead talks down to the rest of us.  I would bet my bottom dollar that there are many more than the "comparatively small number of users" you cite who have just left the product for another one altogether. In their disappointment, they are probably not speaking very well of Fitbit either. By the way, "comparatively"... compared to what, pray tell?  This is a marketing as well as a functionality problem and Fitbit should indeed be taking it seriously.

[Craigside]

reesha7591  First Steps -  Hi there, forgive me I could have better worded my comment..., and I do wish FitBit would 'resolve' this issue that affects some

users, however I was merely stating my belief is that FitBit will not do anything about this. Also, I was suggesting a working solution that I

discovered on this FitBit forum that works great. However I appreciate it might not suit everyone and it does involve buying a low cost strap.

I am not defending FitBit, I am being pragmatic and sharing a working solution that might reduce the understandable dissappointment for

some people. 

[Amijesse]

I’ve had the flex and now have the charge 2 and neither record steps when I’m pushing a grocery cart or stroller. Since I have little ones, this happens often. It would be cool if Fitbit could figure out a way to fix this issue.

[SantiR]

Hi everyone, thanks for sharing this suggestion. We're always striving to enhance Fitbit products and services, and we appreciate all of the input we receive from our customers. We do not currently have plans to release this feature. You can learn more about how Fitbit decides what suggestions get released in our FAQs located at the top right box of the Feature Suggestions Board screen. For now, we will leave this suggestion open for votes (and closed to comments) so that we can continue to track community demand over time. Thanks for taking the time to share your feedback with us and we will let you know if anything changes.

[WadeGrimm]

Make FitBit work accurately while wearing on wrist or recognize that it will not be done and make a foot or pocket or neck racelet that will work on bikes, feet, ands idle while walking and pushing shopping carts. Way to many post about this to not deal with it.

Dont like sounding negative but this is one needs to get fixed.  I am looking at other products now because of this and many people on the street have expressed concerns with this about Fitbit.  Fix it or say No, this will not be fixed.  Thanks so much.