Excel Project (UPDATED)

Introduction

Look up and review the difference between accelerometers, pedometers, and heart rate monitors (include a picture of each, show differences, similarities in its use, and when it is preferred to use each in PE K-12)  

Accelerometers

 

What is an Accelerometer?

Accelerometers consists of a piezo-electric element and a seismic mass within an enclosed casing.  When the sensor is exposed to an acceleration, the seismic mass causes the piezo-electric element to bend or compress.  This action generates an output voltage signal that is proportional to the acceleration.  This output voltage is used in its raw form as total counts or activity rates.  There are two level of accelerometers: research quality and school use quality.  In research quality, they have ActiGraph, BioTrainer, StepWatch, Activity Monitor, and a Mini-Motionlogger.

Similarities to Pedometers and Heart Rate monitors

Instead, they have a LCD display screen similar to a pedometer, by which they display available outputs for the current day, or data stored in memory from the previous 7 days.
They are similar to Heart Rate monitors because they both graph some form of human movement in terms of either activity level or heart rate; both of which affect each other.

Differences to Pedometers and Heart Rate monitors

Accelerometers can be in various different forms and can go into various different objects.  Pedometers usually are usually in a hard case and go on a individuals hip.  Heart Rate monitors are now being placed around the chest of an individual while accelerometers can be anywhere.

Pedometers

What are Pedometers?

Pedometers are electronic devices that are used to count your steps while you walk. The downside to Pedometers is that they do not count steps accurately when the user is performing other locomotor skills. They are also less accurate at slower speeds and this is due to the insensitivity of pedometers to detect steps when people shuffle. Another disadvantage is that it is less accurate for overweight and obese individuals. (will add more not done, need more information)

Similarities to Accelerometers and Heart Rate Monitors

Pedometers are similar to Accelerometers because they both have piezo-electric crystals within the device that directly measure vertical accelerations.  They are similar to Heart Rate monitors because they both are measuring some form of force.

Differences to Accelerometers and Heart Rate Monitors

Pedometers measures step count while accelerometers are usually to measure almost anything that generates force.  They are different from Heart Rate Monitors because they are both measuring two separate tasks; one is measuring step count while the other is measuring your heart beat. 

Heart Rate Monitors

   

What are Heart Rate Monitors?

Heart Rate Monitors record the heart rate, allowing students who are trying to count their heart beats to concentrate on their workout while receiving constant updates on their heart rates.  All heart rate monitors record the heart rate while updating the display every seven seconds, allowing for the irregular rhythm of the human heart.

 Similarities to Accelerometers and Pedometers

Heart rate monitors are similar to accelerometers because they are both measuring something whether it be the heart rate or something that causes a force or seismic event within the body.

Differences to Accelerometers and Pedometers

Heart rate monitors are different from accelerometers because heart rate monitors were made to specifically measure the irregular heart beat of the human body during a workout while accelerometers do not measure heart rate but rather just react to a seismic mass that causes the piezo-electric mass to bend or compress. 

When is preferred to use each one of these measuring devices in PE K-12?

It is preferred to use accelerometers when an individual is biking or when someone is trying to measure an acceleration.

It is preferred to use pedometers when a teacher wants to measure their students pacing or walking throughout the class to see if they are moving enough throughout the class period.

It is preferred to use heart rate monitors when the students are working out in the fitness center or weight room to help calculate and monitor their heart rate.

All answers for this blog post taken from our textbook Using Technology in Physical Education from chapter 11: Measuring Devices