SDK - Enable/Expose SPO2 Oxygen Saturation Sensor for Development

[assadtony]

As a developer and a recovering COVID patient, I would love to have the newly releases SPO2 sensor on the SDK for developers to use so that we could monitor our SPO2 levels as a first line indicator that something might be wrong.

Current Issue:

We cannot import the Oxygen Saturation Sensor (SPO2) on Developer apps.

The sensor is currently available and in-use for for Sleep Usage as a differential graph over time after it's release early 2020.

As developers, we current do not have a clear way to access the sensor as we do for an Accelerometer.

Request/Acceptance Criteria:

- The SDK allows us to import the SPO2 sensor in a similar way as we do for the Accelerometer or the HeartRate

Example:

- import { Accelerometer } from "accelerometer";

- import { SpO2 } from "spo2";

[JonFitbit]

Glad to hear you're recovering! Thanks for the feedback.

[potatochemist]

What kind of response is this? You didn't answer his question at all

[Maedreth]

Seriously, dont bother responding if you aren't going to answer the question. 

[mauner10]

I've recently tried developing a new clock face, with all the statistics I like to see, and have also tried to display the SpO2 as you requested above.  Have you been able to import and display the current oxygen level correctly on a clock face? 

[JonFitbit]

This type of data is medically regulated and not available in the SDK.

[potatochemist · Accepted solution]

Interesting! Thanks for the reply; it's unfortunate that it's not able to be published. Do you know where I can learn more about the policy or legislation that dictates this?

[mauner10]

I'm wondering way if this information (blood oxygen level) is displayed correctly from a Fitbit made clock face, why is that information any different to access to be able to display for a developer's clock face - when creating more clock faces, with a variety of exercise, sleep, date, battery, weather, etc. information?

[JonFitbit]

The Fitbit clocks have been through the reviews, provided the required documentation, and satisfied regulatory checks required. It's a complex process and not something we can expose to more developers at this time.

[mauner10]

I'm just re-checking if the SpO2 is available yet for developers using Fitbit Studio?  Below is my original post from 2/9/2021:

I've recently tried developing a new clock face, with all the statistics I like to see, and have also tried to display the SpO2 as you requested above. Have you been able to import and display the current oxygen level correctly on a clock face?

[FearTheCron]

If it is the case that spo2 is regulated, why can I get it from a Samsung device?

https://img-developer.samsung.com/onlinedocs/health/android/data/com/samsung/android/sdk/healthdata/...

[BookHammer]

What do you mean medically regulated- by who?  Under what rules?

[LekoFraggle]

Hello,

Thank you for this info. I understand that. I am wondering, if I use my own watch face, will that data still work, and is there a hook to access it with a gesture on a custom face? I just ordered a Sense because of the extra tracking it provides, but I really want to use my own watchface with it. 

If that is not an option, I understand, and would like to provide a possible solution.

It would be wonderful if Ftibit provided a fully customizable watch face with a settings app that could allow you to choose analog v digital, what data (complications), Even adding an option for third party sandboxed complications would be cool, and upload your own image as a background

I think this idea is similar to how some of the old samsung faces worked.

Anyway, thank you for all the info. I do understand why this data may be regulated. In addition to privacy concerns, If a dev developed an app that accidentally (or maliciously) changed the data, that could be dangerous. Just my 2c

[mauner10]

I'm just re-checking 1/1/2022 - If the SpO2 is available yet for developers using Fitbit Studio?

Below is my original post from 2/9/2021:

"I've recently tried developing a new clock face, with all the statistics I like to see, and have also tried to display the SpO2 as you requested above. Have you been able to import and display the current oxygen level correctly on a clock face?"

1/1/2021 - Option to think about:  If this statistic is made "read-only", so developers can ONLY display it, it should be safe to release it to developers ... if the thought is that developers should NOT be able to MODIFY this statistic from their FitBit. 

[LobsterOfTruth]

@Jon: I understand it must be tiresome to explain things like this to the community, but reading the other posts here, I get the impression that people would just like to understand.

I think it is perfectly understandable that Fitbit had to provide documentation for the calculation of the SpO2 percentage value - as used in the Fitbit watchfaces like "SpO2 Signature" - for regulatory checks. It is reasonable that the calculation of such a health sensitive value and the process behind the sensor data used for it needs to be checked.

However: Why does it matter what clock face displays this value? Why can't it be a static value provided by the API that other clock faces can display as well? If the clock faces don't do the calculations, what complex regulatory processes could there possibly be necessary?

Again, simply trying to understand. Happy new year btw.

[Acrux]

This has been something that had never made sense to me while I was working on faces that this information couldn't be presented to us in a manner that could be controlled. The response has always been "its regulated" which I still question as mentioned by others that there are other wearable devices and phones offer you the ability to get to this information from the development side. 

All we need is a simple function call to display whatever the sensor information is giving, we don't need to manipulate that data in any way. I really don't see this any different than the heart rate sensor. 

I as well would have found it useful to have when I had Covid just to track my o2 as I was constantly in the low 90s instead of using my pulseox. 

These limitations is one of the reasons I just shelfed working on any faces, to have these features and abilities on the watch but be limited to do anything with them, like buying a car but cant turn on the radio until the FCC approves. 

[alt-jero]

When? What about for personal use? Why have I just bought a watch with an SpO2 sensor if I cannot use my own hardware?

I "get" that the regulatory bodies - probably - want to make sure people don't install prank apps that tell you "You dyin' bruh!" using real medical data...

However someone could do exactly that using fake medical data.

As to making sure the values are calculated correctly, the OS can handle the calculations. After all, that's kinda what it's for - an interface between the hardware and the apps.

I understand you're walking a fine line between this being a medical device subject to regulations, and a consumer device.

How about a compromise?

If a developer-created app uses SpO2 or ECG data, have it display a warning onscreen at the point of installation, or display a purpose-designed icon during use to indicate that the data is not to be used for medical purposes?

Why do I want it?

I have an idea about measuring air quality using the sensors on a fitbit - considered by me to be a consumer device with awesome hardware and great potential.

/rant

[SunsetRunner]

Hello @alt-jero 

considering that all apps published in the Fitbit Gallery are analyzed and approved by Fitbit such compromise wouldn't be needed actually.

Looking at the immobility of SDK development I'm more inclined to say that Fitbit OS has reached its end of life. 

[mauner10]

I'm just re-checking again (3/21/2022, previously rechecked 1/1/2022):

            Is the SpO2 is available yet for developers using Fitbit Studio?

Below is my original post from 2/9/2021:

"I've recently tried developing a new clock face, with all the statistics I like to see, and have also tried to display the SpO2 as you requested above. Have you been able to import and display the current oxygen level correctly on a clock face?"

Marie

[haider-dev]

It's sad that till now they are not giving support for SpO2 sensor