Sounds like Sci-Fi malarkey: an app that measures the amount of calories burned throughout the day just by sitting in your pocket and using the iPhone’s accelerometers to measure motion. But nope, it’s real, and it’s at the App Store for $3.
Movator keeps a realtime, running tally of calories burned throughout the day, then it’ll display the data using all kinds of pie charts and line graphs. The app is apparently sensitive enough to record calories burned during all kinds of activities — cycling, running, walking, swimming and even driving a car. Seems pretty far-fetched, right? But Movator was developed by brainiacs from the same German organization that helped develop the mp3 and h.264 video — so that’s gotta mean something.
When he was eight, Eli Milchman came home from frolicking in the Veld one day and was given an Atari 400. Since then, his fascination with technology has made him an intrepid early adopter of whatever charming new contraption crosses his path. He calls San Francisco home, where he works as a journalist and photographer. Eli has contributed to the pages of Wired.com and BIKE Magazine, among others. Hang with him on Twitter.
7 responses to “Movator App Counts Burned Calories by Sensing Motion”
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…The app is apparently sensitive enough to record calories burned during all kinds of activities — cycling, running, walking, swimming…
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Never knew that the iPhone was waterproof. I have seen people in many situations and activities with their iPhone; however the first with it on its togs whilst swimming I have to come across.
what if i were to just shake my iphone violently?would it record that i have lost more calories than what i really have lost?
I noticed “sex – active” in the screen shots. Do they expect you to strap an iPhone to your body while doing the horizontal tango?
Yet another beautiful iPhone app that doesn’t measure anything but gives the appearance of doing so. Reminds me of the heart rate monitor (that uses the camera/flash) and sleep monitor (that measures your sleep movement via the accelerometer) apps I purchased.
It is unfortunate that the Apple app review process is focused on form rather than function.