Civic Artifact: Activity Trackers
(Ex: Fitbit, Garmin, Apple Watch, etc.)
My artifacts are fitness watches aka “activity trackers.” People of all fitness levels use these watches to track health metrics such as their step count, heart rate, sleep, calories burned, and mileage. All activity tracker users benefit from this technology because it gives them information about their health and activity.
Athletes use the watch to track what they’ve accomplishes. People who are out of shape use these watches to encourage them to be more active. Other consumers include people in physical therapy and recovery who are trying to limit their activity to improve healing.
The artifact responded to an increase in the use of monitors on stationary fitness machines. Individuals wanted to know more about their personal health and still be able to tell time. Activity trackers were also a response to improved wireless technology in the beginning of the 21st century.
How have they changed over time?
- More synched with newer mobile phones
- Evolved to watches from waist clips
- Thinner, lighter
- New displays
- Developed screens
- Date/time/actual digits
- Used by everyone now, not just athletes
For athletes and Non-athletes
These activity trackers are ways to monitor peak heart rates and track milage. For unathletic people, the tracker is a way to monitor a variety of metrics
- Calories (especially if they are on a diet)
- Steps (step goals encourage exercise)
- Heart rate (stay in safe range and lower resting heart rate)
Commonplaces Associated with Activity Trackers
- Exercise positivity
- Symbol of self-improvement and pride
- “Cool” when people think it’s an apple watch (even if it’s not)
- Modern way of self-improvement
- Represents health-consciousness
What Makes Activity Trackers Civic?
Activity trackers are civic because they are common in the United States and promote the cultural idea of having healthy citizens. Everyone has a responsibility to be as healthy as possible and maintain a degree of fitness to prevent disease and protect the epigenetic codes that will be passed to the next generation.
Good job again 🙂 I liked how you talked about the commonplaces associated with fitness trackers and the different ways people use them. I think it would have been interesting to talk a bit more about the evolvement of their design and the reasons we buy some over others (such as our tendency to like the more minimalistic or aesthetically pleasing ones as opposed to the more accurate/useful but bulky ones) or about their prevalence in a society that is obsessed with health yet is still struggling with obesity and cardiovascular disease. But I think this artifact is a super cool choice (even though you roasted me for having an Apple Watch).
I agree that activity trackers being commonplace promotes the idea of health and fitness. Perhaps we could track the evidence of this through health studies that track trends from before activity trackers became commonplace to today. Also, activity trackers may comment on our addiction to information. With so many outlets to receive information — be it through the internet, TV, books, etc. — we are obsessed with knowing more about ourselves and others.
Great post! I laughed a few times.