Performance evaluation of Fitbit Charge 3 and actigraphy vs. polysomnography: Sensitivity, specificity, and reliability across participants and nights

Abstract

Goal and aims: Compare the accuracy and reliability of sleep/wake classification between the Fitbit Charge 3 and the Micro Motionlogger actigraph when applying either the Cole-Kripke or Sadeh scoring algorithms. Accuracy was established relative to simultaneous Polysomnography recording. Focus technology: Fitbit Charge 3 and actigraphy. Reference technology: Polysomnography.

Sample: Twenty-one university students (10 females).

Design: Simultaneous Fitbit Charge 3, actigraphy, and polysomnography were recorded over 3 nights at the participants' homes.

Core analytics: Total sleep time, wake after sleep onset, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value.

Additional analytics and exploratory analyses: Variability of specificity and negative predictive value across subjects and across nights.

Core outcomes: Fitbit Charge 3 and actigraphy using the Cole-Kripke or Sadeh algorithms exhibited similar sensitivity in classifying sleep segments relative to polysomnography (sensitivity of 0.95, 0.96, and 0.95, respectively). Fitbit Charge 3 was significantly more accurate in classifying wake segments (specificity of 0.69, 0.33, and 0.29, respectively). Fitbit Charge 3 also exhibited significantly higher positive predictive value than actigraphy (0.99 vs. 0.97 and 0.97, respectively) and a negative predictive value that was significantly higher only relative to the Sadeh algorithm (0.41 vs. 0.25, respectively).

Important additional outcomes: Fitbit Charge 3 exhibited significantly lower standard deviation in specificity values across subjects and negative predictive value across nights.

Core conclusion: This study demonstrates that Fitbit Charge 3 is more accurate and reliable in identifying wake segments than the examined FDA-approved Micro Motionlogger actigraphy device. The results also highlight the need to create devices that record and save raw multi-sensor data, which are necessary for developing open-source sleep or wake classification algorithms.

Keywords: Accuracy; Actigraphy; Consumer sleep technology; Performance evaluation; Polysomnography; Wearable sleep trackers.