How does FusedPace react to there being a foot pod
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Hi all, sorry if this has been covered in a previous topic but I didn’t find anything by searching
Does anyone know hoe FusedPace works when there’s a foot pod paired with the watch? I’m just curious to understand the details not because anything has gone wrong or I think there’s a bug or anything.
Thinking about it, there’s kind of 4 possible behaviours:
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FusedPace and GPS-based pacing is entirely disabled and the pace data comes solely from the footpod.
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FusedPace and GPS-based pacing is still used by the watch even when there’s a footpod, pace data from the footpod is basically ignored and only ancillary data such as cadence and GCT are captured from the footpod.
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The footpod data is used as part of FusedPace instead of the watch’s accelerometer and is fused with GPS but with the footpod data having primary weight (with GPS being used as a sense check).
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The footpod data is used as part of FusedPace instead of the watch’s accelerometer and is fused with GPS but with the GPS pacing data still taking primary weight (like it would do normally) and with the footpod data used for support (like the internal accelerometer would be).
Anyone know any details?
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I guess no-one knows then.
Don’t suppose someone could test it out, could they? At the very least to see if the footpod data is even actually used.
I suggest an experiment but someone would need 2 fusedpace / fusedspeed (whatever suunto calls it) capable watches and a footpod - preferably a stryd of some form because it also records internally. They’d need to do a run with some pace variations - either deliberate or due to hills - and possibly a tunnel of some sort (actual or just heavy tree cover).
For the run, wear both watches with one linked to the footpod. Record the activities then compare the pace data.
After the activity, compare the traces from both watches and the footpad’s own recording to see which match. If the 2 watches match then the footpod data isn’t being used. If the footpod-linked watch and the footpod match then fusedspeed/fusedpace is not used when a footpod is linked. If none of them match then fusedpace is doing something to merge the gps and footpod data. Of course, if all three match then there’s no benefit to the footpod even if it is being used.
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no takers for doing the experiment then?
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Ok, I’ve been experimenting and this is what I’ve found so far.
Firstly, it seems clear to me that the behaviour of the watch’s presentation of pace changes when a stryd pod is used so I’m pretty sure the pace data is used and is used in preference to in-watch fusedspeed data.
When I use the stryd pod, pace appears to be updated pretty consistently every 2 seconds or so. I actually think Suunto could do some work to tune this to improve it because my iPhone app (iSmoothRun) can update every second but that’s an aside. When the stryd is paired, no level of mucking about with gps or holding my arm to see the watch for extended periods makes any difference so I’m going to say when a stryd is paired fusedspeed isn’t used and pace comes from the stryd, not gps.
When not using the stryd pod I can def. create scenarios where I can tell the difference. With a recently sync’d watch, over 20% battery, performance level gps and a solid gps signal I actually think the watch updates pace faster than when using the stryd. However, not sync’ing before a run, having less than 20% battery and running deliberately where I know the GPS signal is weaker (under trees, along canals etc) the pace update rate drops significantly. Here it seems to update every 5 or so seconds and is also more likely to react to a slowing of pace than an acceleration. I’m guessing this is the frusedspeed stuff kicking in.
If I go further to ‘break’ the fusedspeed capability by holding my wrist up to view my watch continuously (therefore preventing the accelerometer from doing it’s job) then in a poor signal area the pace can easily freeze for 20 seconds or more until GPS catches up.
So my conclusion is that the watch adopts behaviour 1 from my original post. As a result I’m not going to be retiring my Stryd any time soon
And as a PS maybe Suunto could improve the refresh rate for pace and power from the stryd to every second
I’d be interested to hear if other people have different experiences