What is PAI and why should you take it into account if you have a smartband or smartwatch?

Smart watches and bracelets are here to stay and completely transform the way we do sports and keep track of our health.

Currently, almost everyone has one of these, more expensive or cheaper, but beyond being simple technological accessories, These devices no longer only tell you the time, but they count your steps, measure your heart rate and even tell you if you have slept well..

But with so much information, sometimes it’s hard to know if you’re really getting enough exercise to stay healthy. In relation to this, tell you that some of these devices incorporate a key element that surely many do not know: the PAI metric.

In short, PAI is the acronym for Personal Activity Intelligence, which translated into Spanish means Personal Activity Intelligence and it is time for you to know this concept in depth and if your smartband or smartwatch incorporates it.

What is PAI and how does it work?

PAI, or Personal Activity Intelligence As mentioned before, it could be described as a kind of grade your body gives you based on how active you’ve been. Unlike traditional systems that only count steps or calories, the PAI seeks to understand how all your activities affect your heart.

This system was developed by a group of Norwegian scientists who were looking for a smarter way to measure physical activity. They realized that walking 10,000 steps at a leisurely pace is not the same as running, and the PAI is designed to recognize and value that difference.

The operation of the PAI is quite curious. Every time your heart beats faster, whether from climbing stairs, dancing, or intense exercise, the system records it. Based on how hard you’ve made your heart work, it assigns you points. The goal is to reach 100 points in one week. The higher the score, the greater the positive impact of exercise on your health:

• PAI 100 or more: you get all the benefits necessary to take care of your health.
• PAI 50: you receive up to 60% of the benefits.

The interesting thing is that it adapts to each person: it doesn’t matter if you are an elite athlete or if your favorite sport is going for a walk once a week; The PAI is adjusted to your personal physical condition and fully considers all your activity.

Not only does it take into account intense exercise; All your daily activities add points, from walking the dog to shopping. This makes it especially useful for people who can’t or don’t want to do intense exercise, but are looking to stay active in other ways.

Advantages and disadvantages of the PAI

Like any system, The PAI has its pros and cons. Among the advantages, you can find its customization: it adapts to your age, sex and physical condition, as if it were a tailored suit for your activity.

Also It is simple to understand; a single figure tells you if you are doing well or if you need to move more. Its flexibility is another plus point, since it doesn’t matter what type of activity you do; If it makes your heart beat, it counts.

In addition, it motivates you to stay active in the long term, promoting healthy habits. As if that were not enough, it is backed by scientific studies that suggest that following the PAI can help you live longer and better.

However, it also has its disadvantages. The main one is that you need a compatible device to use it, which can put obstacles in your options when choosing a smartwatch or activity tracker. On the other hand, since it depends largely on heart rate, factors such as stress could affect your score without you actually exercising more.

Which smartbands and smartwatches have PAI and why don’t others?

Regarding the devices that incorporate the PAI, Not all manufacturers of smart watches and activity bracelets have decided to adopt it. Among the brands that do include it, Amazfit stands out, whose recent models incorporate it as standard; Zepp, whose newer watches also come with this feature; and Huami, as creators of the technology.

On the other hand, there are brands like Apple and Fitbit that have chosen to develop their own systems to measure physical activity. Apple uses its own activity ring system, while Fitbit uses “Active Zone Minutes.” Garmin prefers to focus on other metrics like VO2 max and Samsung has its own approach to measuring activity.

Why don’t some have it even if they are top? There are several reasons: as you see, many brands already have their own ways of measuring activity and do not want to change; implementing PAI may involve paying additional licenses; some seek to differentiate themselves with their own innovations; and depending on the target audience they may prefer simpler or more complex metrics.

In the end, all of these brands follow different paths, but they all go towards the same destination: living a healthier and more active life. So if you decide to give PAI a try or consider other options available on the market, the important thing is to stay active and take care of your health.

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Tags: Video, Health, Smart Device, Sport