Inside STAT: Heart rate trackers in Fitbits, other wearables may not be as accurate for people of color

(ALEX HOGAN/STAT)

Bias in medicine isn’t new, and it’s not surprising that the trend also extends to digital medicine. Nearly 52 million people in the U.S. have some sort of device with a heart rate tracker, something like a FitBit or Apple Watch, but these devices may not work as accurately for people of color. The reason behind that is simple: The technology that the devices rely on to detect heartbeats does not work as well in those with more melanin in their skin. Many companies, including Fitbit and Samsung, use green light optical sensors, which emit shorter wavelengths. This means they're absorbed faster in those with darker skin than the powerful infrared sensors used in hospital heart monitors and make it harder to get accurate heartbeat reads. STAT’s Ruth Hailu has more here.