SAMSUNG Galaxy Watch Active 2 : Disability Issues and Sleep/Heart Monitoring!

[VikingAle]

I've had this SAMSUNG Galaxy Watch Active 2 ("GWA2") since 06/01/2020, and it seemed OK, once I had got my head around the many features, and had disabled all those that I did not want.

I am now 60, with lower limb disability issues due to old motorcycle accidents (17 operations) and later added injuries when in UK Forces.

I was kindly given the GWA2 as a 60th Birthday Present to help with monitoring my very poor sleep, and also this years efforts to improve health and fitness via non-impact exercise, such as, initially, Physio, then hopefully later on things like Rowing and floor based exercises with weights, and maybe later this year some swimming and cyling, all in preparation for major surgery to replace a whole knee (yes the entire knee, which is a bigger one than even a Total Knee Reoplacement), probably a hip or two, and maybe an ankle.

I am also looking forward to the ECG feature, but appreciate this will take a few weeks yet whilst various Certifications are sought.

I have also recently discovered that I have serious Sleep Apnoea issues, so bad that it triggered Atrial Flutter one night, and put me into Intensive Care for 10 hours with my heart stuck in a 2:1 Block at 150bpm for 10 hours...which is basically what can happen when you neary suffocate!

All being well, I should get a CPAP (Constant Positive Air Pressure) machine soon, which should cure the sleep issues, and allow me to finally get some decent restorative sleep. Usually I am getting just 1-20 mins of Deep Sleep a night because of this, and the thrashing around I do in bed because of lower limb pain. Total sleep is usually between 1-5 hours if that, so I tend to be a bit tired during the day!

I was using a Polar A360 to mainly keep an eye on sleep, or the lack of it, and to help monitor activity and so on, when I will combine that with a Polar H7 Chest Strap if I can get onto the Rowing Machine (hips/knees allowing).

Anyway, the GWA2 seemed to be OK until this morning, when it suddenly elected to stat Monitoring me having a run, which was curious, because I was just sitting in front of the PC doing some admin!

It did not seem to want to stop, so I just went for a reset via my SAMSUNG Galaxy S10's App linked to the GWA2!

A PITA, as I then had to re-set a lot of features and widgets up all over again.

However, then it did the same again!

This time I was able to stop it, and then disabled the Multi-Workout Running widget, which seems to have calmed the thing down.

The GWA2 is fully patched with the latest updates as of today (10/01/2020), so I am writing this in case others have experienced the same odd behavior. I have it paired to a SAMSUNG Galaxy S10 Mobile (also fully patched).

I will update if it does it again, and will post up any other feedback related to this watch in terms of sleep monitoring issues and a disabled bloke starting to get fitter!

VikingAle

[VikingAle]

Hello Ants!

Model = SM-R825F

Software = R825FXXU1ATA1/R825FOXA1ATA1/R825FXXU1ATA1

Many thanks for that feedback. I have wondered if things like the cleanliness of the rear sensors, or the fit of the GWA2 were factors, but the key point here is when I check the error, I am invariably either sat at a table doing Blood Pressure, or sat on my bed hooking myself up to the CheckMe O2 unit, when I also cross-check what I can across three Devices.

I do therefore make sure that the GWA2 is well positioned upon my wrist, and not off-set or allowing a larger than usual air gap etc.

In each case, other Devices measure my Pulse and/or Blood Oxygen Saturation Level ("%SpO2"), very quickly, whereas the GWA2 is often 100% out on my Heart Rate before I start, stays 100% out whilst I run the cross-check with other Devices, and then is also often still 100% out afterwards. It does then tend to correct shortly thereafter, but I am talking several minutes later.

The OMRON M7 Blood Pressure Device comes up with a Pulse Reading as soon as it has completed the usual test, so takes maybe 30 seconds to pump up the Arm Band, and then release that, before displaying Blood Pressure Systolic and Diastolic, plus Heart Rate.

The CheckMe O2 takes maybe 15 seconds to start displaying both %SpO2 and Heart Rate, which it displays live when asked, and so is changing almost second by second, taking this via a Thumb Sensor Unit.

I also have a couple of the simple Finger Top %SpO2 Sensors, and these also display a combined %SpO2 and Heart Rate Reading within 5-10 seconds, and then display that live showing changes within a second or two. If you breath in deeply, for example, you can see the effect within a few seconds.

But all of this time, when the GWA2 has the error, it is holding firm at 100% higher than all of the other Devices.

It looks to me that it is getting a good reading, but is then displaying it 100% too high.

The Heart Rate, measured continually, varies in the same way as other Devices show the small changes, but whilst they are showing, say, my Heart Rate at 55-60 bpm, the GWA2 is doing the same, but at 105-114 bpm.

Even if I double check the fit and position of the GWA2 when it does this, it still keeps showing me my Heart Rate at around 100% too high, and carries on doing it.

Oddly, I can then often wait, and I have seen it fall into line, as the Heart Rate drops, in what looks like gaps of a few seconds, which may be the sampling rate, but the display climbs down each change by 5-10 bpm, until it falls into line with the other Devices.

I have now watched this many times, and am trying to send Error Reports now when it does, to try and catch what is happening.

If the Developers are saying that there does not seem to be any issues, and that it looks to be a poor sample, caused by, say, bad positioning or a loose strap etc, then I fear this may be suggesting it could be Hardware, because I can confirm that I do try to rule out bad positioning or poor fitment. IOW, I do take extra care to try and ensure that the GWA2's Sensors are in an optimum position.

I have strong wrists, but no tattoos, and no excessively thick arm hair. My heart also beats well, I have had recent ECGs and Echocardiograms, and all show that my heart is fundamentally fit, and beats well when it beats. By that I mean I don't have a weak Pulse that might be hard to detect.

The PITA is this is random.

Sometimes it is fine, the GWA2 agrees with the other Devices, and it looks to be working fine.

I will keep my eye on it, and will keep sending Error Logs when I can, to see if one might reveal what is happening.

I do also check things via my SAMSUNG S10 via the Stress Level Test in the Galaxy Health App, which is done by pressing one's Index Finger to the Sensor on the back of the S10, which acts the same as a Finger Tip %SpO2 Unit, so measures both Pulse and %SpO2. That also agrees with the other Devices, and not with the GWA2 when it is 100% out.

IMPORTANT: I did note that the above SAMSUNG S10 Stress Level Test in the Galaxy Health App, also shows what looks like a Live Heart Trace, which might be handy for some, to get a quick snap shot of how one's heart is beating. I don't know how accurate that is, but when I feel I have an irregular beat, that does seem to show the strange beats via the Trace. I suspect it might well be similar technology to the long awaited ECG Feature on the GWA2?

IOW, when the GWA2 has the ECG Feature enabled, I would think it will be able to display a similar Heart Trace, to show a live display of what the heart is doing. The beating rhythm displayed can't really be 100% out, or else the Trace would also need to show beats much closer together, i.e. if 100% out, then the distance between beats on the Trace would need to halve if that is actually happening. If it's not, then the Trace should show, say, a Sinus Rhythm of 55 bpm, and the Heart Rate would have to agree with that, it could not say 107-114 bpm because it would then be obviously miles out relative to the visual Trace.

As I have tried to say on the other Thread, I feel it's important to get the GWA2 to be accurate at Rest, otherwise it raises doubts about using it for exercise if it's not accurate when running at tick-over when everything is much calmer and relaxed, when an accurate reading ought to be no problem.

A bit like a motorcycle, if it has a mis-fire at tick-over, then it's also likely to have issues when the engine is at max chat!

VikingAle

[Shiy]

I believe I can confirm I have the same problem with my GWA2 watch.

Despite it being clean and well placed on my wrist, everyday independently from activity the heart rate measurement (set to continuous mode) oscillates between the correct rest value and exactly double that number. I can often also manually measure the heart rate when the device incorrectly marks the doubled value and verify it's exactly off by 100%.

Something is off and it would be great if it could be fixed...

[Dan2020]

My less than a month old Watch Active 2 is hardly monitoring  the HR. I set it at Every 10 Minutes, but it either records once every hour or none. I had a Gear S3 and it was great. But the newer Active 2 is bad. It's such a disappointment. 

[VikingAle]

Hello Shiy and Dan2020!

Model = SM-R825F

Software = R825FXXU1ATA1/R825FOXA1ATA1/R825FXXU1ATA1

Many thanks for these Posts, very interested to read that Shiy is also observing the same 100% error.

I heard from Technical Support, who asked me to Re-Set the GWA2, which I did, but the problem came back. It seemed better for a while, but that could just be me.

This morning, it was OK, but then I spotted it was again reading high, so managed to fit a Finger Tip O2 Sensor, and then capture both that, and the GWA2, at the exact same time, via an image from my SAMSUNG S10 Mobile's Camera.

This I then sent off as another Error Report, along with the Error Logs that the Galaxy Wearable App can generate, as descriubed above. There is an option to attch a File or Image, so I attached the image showing the Finger Tip O2 Sensor showing my Heart Rate at 52 bpm, and also the GWA2 at 104 bpm, at the exact same time.

This seems to confirm that it is indeed 100% adrift when it does that.

Again,  my strap was well adjusted, the GWA2 was clean in terms of its Sensors, and it was well positioned on my wrist, so all likely complications to rat up the reading were addressed. It had also been Reset the day or so before.

Whilst I was drafting the Error Log, the GWA2 remained out by 100%. Then, a few minutes after the Error Log had gone and I had the usual message to confirm that, I watched the GWA2 then correct itself, and the Heart Rate then suddenly climbed down from around 100 bpm, to the correct level at around half that...like a sudden drop, so not a genuine reading of my Heart Rate, it looked to be the Software adjusting.

HTH

VikingAle

[VikingAle]

Model = SM-R825F

Software = R825FXXU1ATA1/R825FOXA1ATA1/R825FXXU1ATA1

The GWA2 seems to be having a Bad Hair Day, it just detected me having a Cycle Ride, when sat by the PC doing very little!

Thankfully, it gave that up quickly, but this false auto-detection of Activities is something it did from the outset, which I think I mentioned in my first Post above.

I suspect that problem has come back after the recent Re-Set?

It does look like the GWA2's Firmware/Software has a number of bugs, so does need work.

VikingAle

[VikingAle]

Model = SM-R825F

Software = R825FXXU1ATA1/R825FOXA1ATA1/R825FXXU1ATA1

The GWA2 is still randomly reporting my Heart Rate (when measured Continually) as being 100% higher than it actually is. The little Resting HR reading below the main Heart Rate Display, is however usually accurate in terms of matching what my resting Heart Rate is normally.

I am sending off Error Logs every so often when the main error happens, but nothing back now for a while other than messages to say the Error Log Data has been passed on.

However, yesterday I also sent off a Log when the GWA2 was actually working just fine, on the basis that it may help to compare this with Error Logs when it isn't, to try and spot what may be different between the two Logs, i.e. comparing Good with Bad might just spot something adrift that could explain why the GWA2 elects to randomly double the reading, and usually for several minutes at a time no matter what I do to reposition the watch against my wrist to rule out bad positioning or poor contact against my skin.

No idea if that will help, but it may be useful for the Technical Support bods to have both Logs.

VikingAle

[Shiy]

This is really disappointing, with these problems the heart rate future is simply useless: every day and almost at every measurement the values fluctuate between the rest rate and exactly double that. This really needs to be fixed...

[VikingAle]

Hello Shiy!

Model = SM-R825F

Software = R825FXXU1ATA1/R825FOXA1ATA1/R825FXXU1ATA1

I agree. Mine is still doing this, i.e. every so often, it gets stuck showing me that my Heart Rate (measured Continually), is almost exactly 100% out, almost certainly double what I know it to be. It seems to do this, no matter what I do, for up to 10-15 minutes, then suddenly corrects itself.

I have kept sending Error Logs, including one example, as mentioned, when it was OK, to see if Technical Support can compare and spot what's causing this, all to no avail, so far.

Frustratingly, the only responses I now get from Technical Support are canned pre-drafted template messages that advise me how the GWA2 measures this, and helpful tips in terms how to wear it to avoid air gaps and mis-readings, which is not at all helpful.

Last Error Log I asked Technical Support to please stop sending me these canned messages, because they are just lazy and condescending, given that they are not a considered response to the important issue that I am trying to flag.

I did note that the SAMSUNG Health App was updated a day or two ago, and I hoped that might help but, it soon started to exhibit the same 100% error reading of Heart Rate.

I know I keep saying this, but I would think when the ECG Feature is activated, this may either help to resolve this issue, or will help to show when it is happening, because the ECG Trace can't be 100% out or else the wave form would have to show Heart Beats beating at twice the actual, which I somehow doubt would get past Certification.

By that I mean the ECG Trace should show a wave form that matches, say, my heart beating at 58 bpm, with a clear spike at a distance between beats that reflects 58 bpm. That can't really then halve the distance to show 116 bpm, or else the ECG Feature would be totally useless.

It will be interesting to see if this 100% error goes away when the ECG Feature is enabled.

VikingAle

[LinuxLad]

Hi all,

I  have been experiencing a doubling of my pulse rate on the GWA2 when compared to using my Omron BP meter and an SpO2 & Pulse meter that I have. I also have tried wearing the watch in different positions and with different tightness to no avail. I believe the problem is due to having a low pulse rate and it is as though the watch is responding to the effects of the contractions of the heart and counting them as individual beats. If this is the case,  the problem could maybe be corrected in software. 

[Shiy]

Please fix this sensibility issue! It's absolutely useless to have a watch which keeps switching between heart rate measurements and double their actual value at random!