This presentation was delivered at the annual conference of the American College of Sports Medicine on 30th May 2024.
In this lecture, we revisit the origins and evolution of the Quantified Self movement, initiated by Gary Wolf and Kevin Kelly of Wired Magazine in 2010. We explore how self-measurement has progressed from niche interest to widespread practice, with modern wearables like smartwatches and fitness trackers now ubiquitous. Drawing from research and surveys, the lecture delves into the benefits and challenges of wearable technology, highlighting its potential for public health surveillance, personal health insights, and the obstacles of data accuracy and privacy. With an eye on the future, the talk examines the promise and pitfalls of an increasingly quantified world, urging a balanced approach to ensure these technologies enhance, rather than control, our lives.
More information about Cerberus can be found on our website:
www.wearablewatchdog.com
0:00 Introduction to the Quantified Self movement
1:47 Wearable adoption statistics
2:20 Lecture overview
3:00 A history of the quantified self
4:45 The potential value of wearable data
8:17 Wearable device users: what do they use their devices for?
8:48 The 10,000 steps anecdote
10:55 Exploring the accuracy of wearables
13:40 The role of wearables in future health
15:30 Potential dystopian implications
18:02 Conclusion
References (listed in order of appearance):
https://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/02/magazine/02self-measurement-t.html?smid=url-share
https://doi.org/10.1016/S2589-7500(19)30222-5
https://doi.org/10.1001/jamainternmed.2019.0899
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-018-1609-y
https://scholarship.law.umn.edu/mlr/3246
https://doi.org/10.1055/a-2376-6332