Garmin Explores New Metric for Muscle Fatigue and Recovery
Garmin is reportedly developing a new 'Muscle Battery' metric to assess muscle fatigue and recovery. The feature analyzes muscle oxygen levels and blood flow, potentially offering deeper insights into athletic performance and conditioning.
Smartwatch maker Garmin is reportedly exploring the integration of a new 'Muscle Battery' metric into its devices. This feature aims to evaluate muscle fatigue and recovery by analyzing muscle oxygenation and blood flow data.
Garmin applied for the 'Muscle Battery' trademark in April. The technology appears to utilize near-infrared spectroscopy to estimate oxygenated and deoxygenated hemoglobin in muscles, providing insights into muscle oxygen saturation and total hemoglobin concentration.
This new metric would complement Garmin's existing 'Body Battery' feature, which monitors overall energy levels based on sleep, stress, and activity. The 'Muscle Battery' metric would offer a more granular view of muscle-specific exertion and recovery.
The feature was discovered through an analysis of the Garmin Connect app's APK code. Data fields suggest the ability to track changes in muscle oxygen during activity, with average, minimum, and maximum values recorded to indicate overall levels, periods of low oxygen, and recovery phases.