Currently, Fitness trackers and smartwatches that track stress do so by analyzing your activities throughout the day. Using that data, the wearer can attempt to make adjustments to their daily activities and tasks that could reward them with a more favorable result. Devices like the Charge 5 and Sense give users the power to keep an eye on their stress manually through a specific sensor and the EDA scan app. Which passes small electrical currents through your skin, then the watch tracks responses to your skin’s resistance. Less responses means less stress. Fitbit’s new patent describes a method of using the sensor that works with the EDA scan app to let you track stress in real-time. Since this method for a real-time stress monitoring feature uses the same sensor for the EDA scan app, it’s possible that Fitbit could add it to the Charge 5 and the Sense through an update. Though it could also hold the feature back for new devices.
Real-time stress alerts could be available on future Fitbit devices
While not available right now, it’s possible users could see this feature in future devices. Based on the patent description, the sensor used in the Sense and Charge 5 could be used to identify moments of high stress, called “arousal events.” When and if it detects these moments, it logs them by time. Users would then end up getting an alert on the tracker or watch face if those moments go beyond a certain amount. From there, the device could offer suggestions on how to relieve that stress. These types of scans would happen 24/7 just like the heart rate sensing. Meaning uses would have one less thing on their fitness trackers to check throughout the day. For now though, you’ll just have to continue using the method that’s currently available. So if you have a few minutes, launch the EDA scan app and give yourself a breather.
