Brookstone Heart Rate Ring Report

I decided to try one of the Brookstone Heart Rate Rings and have had it for a few days. I've put it through some tests and thought some of you would like to know what I found.

The good news is that it one of the most comfortable and easy to use units I've tried. It's basic accuracy is good when I test it against my precision ECG unit as long as I'm sitting still.

The bad news is that it has some serious shortcomings. Even when it is working correctly there is about a 30 second lag between an increase in HR and the reading showing up on the digits. The unit computes an average over that period of time to make the reads smoother. The problem is that when used to monitor exercise levels the reading come too late. If you are exercising vigorously the reading will be 10-20 BPM lower than your actual HR until it catches up. That's not good.

The other problem that is when you are running the blood perfusion in a finger oscillates with bouncing. The instrument sees this as heart beats.I tried jogging in place and adjusting my step height to get 100bpm on my ECG. I could get it to read anywhere from 85 to 110 just by changing the speed of my steps, all the time maintaining an actual 100. This isn't a defect in the unit, it is a problem with any of the blood pulse types.

So us poor pacers have problems both ways. The blood pulse type aren't affected by the strange ECG we have from the pacer, but are affected by exercise movements. The ECG types tend to have problems with the pacer signals, and the type that make a dry contact with the skin are also sensitive to movements.

The only way to get a good reading with movement is with gelled electrodes applied to the chest wall together with good quality signal processing. That's what NASA has on the space walkers. There's no reason why a reasonable priced monitor can't be built for the market though.

frank

5 Comments

I Bought One

by Bionic Man - 2009-03-21 10:03:36

I saw these on sale after Xmas. I bought one and you are right. It does take take a while to register the reading. I thought there was something wrong with it. It doesn't seem to give you a reading in real time. After a week, the battery ran out. Right now it's sitting in a drawer somewhere. It isn't a bad product but it could be better.

Thanks Frank.....

by maryanne - 2009-03-21 12:03:59

I have been looking for a Heart Rate monitor and was pleased when I read how happy TraceyE had been with the Brookstone and I know you mentioned that after reading about it on the internet you thought it was a good product....Now you have purchased it and tested it....and wow...you are the man.....I guess we just have to get back to taking our own pulse while running and post running or whatever cardio excercise one is doing. Maybe one day there will be something out there for us PM/ICD folks....

Thanks for doing that Frank.....you saved my about $100

yep

by Tracey_E - 2009-03-22 08:03:45

I was so excited to find one that actually got a reading! I find it does ok on walks when I'm steady in my exertion but isn't much good at the gym when I push it. I didn't think the numbers were accurate but couldn't put my finger on what was wrong. You nailed it immediately, of course! Another disappointment. I'm sorry you wasted your money on my recommendation.

Price

by ElectricFrank - 2009-03-22 12:03:48

I forgot to mention it is available on Amazon for about $30. So if you want to try one they aren't that expensive.

frank

I probably would have done anyway

by ElectricFrank - 2009-03-23 12:03:16

I likely would have found it anyway and tried it. I like to keep up with these things. I wrote an evaluation on Amazon on it so others would know.

The other thing I noticed is that the little heart symbol that blinks when it is measuring HR isn't actually the pulse. If you put your finger on your wrist and check the blinking they aren't in sync.

frank

You know you're wired when...

You run like the bionic man.

Member Quotes

I have had my pacer since 2005. At first it ruled my life. It took some time to calm down and make the mental adjustment. I had trouble sleeping and I worried a lot about pulling wires. Now I just live my life as I wish.