{"id":15489,"date":"2026-03-27T14:35:10","date_gmt":"2026-03-27T14:35:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/manual.m-path.io\/?post_type=ht_kb&p=15489"},"modified":"2026-04-15T11:46:13","modified_gmt":"2026-04-15T11:46:13","slug":"which-wearable-integration-is-right-for-my-project","status":"publish","type":"ht_kb","link":"https:\/\/app-manual-wp-001-atfsdabuggg7fzdq.germanywestcentral-01.azurewebsites.net\/knowledge-base\/which-wearable-integration-is-right-for-my-project\/","title":{"rendered":"Which Wearable integration is Right for my project?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

m-Path offers two approaches to wearable data collection: the standard wearable integration<\/a> (via Thryve) and the direct <\/strong>Garmin <\/strong>integrations, which include full sensing<\/a> and Garmin Lite<\/a>. This page gives a brief overview of the key differences to help you decide which is the right fit for your study.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At a glance<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/th>Standard integration (Thryve)<\/th>Direct Garmin integrations (full sensing & Garmin Lite)<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Supported devices<\/strong><\/td>Wide range of devices via Thryve. Currently integrated: Garmin, Fitbit, Apple Health (It is also possible to integrate other sources<\/a>).<\/td>Garmin smartwatches only<\/td><\/tr>
Data resolution<\/strong><\/td>Lower resolution but includes computed measures (e.g. sleep, daily summaries)<\/td>Raw, high-resolution data (e.g. heart rate every second, all BBI values)<\/td><\/tr>
Data Flow<\/strong><\/td>Data goes from the watch -> smartwatch manufacturer app on the phone(Garmin Connect, Apple Health, etc) -> manufacturer app servers(Gamin Connect servers, Google servers for Fitbit, etc) -> Thryve -> m-Path servers for export<\/td>Data goes from the watch -> m-Path Sense app -> Your cloud storage location<\/td><\/tr>
Trigger-based interventions<\/strong><\/td>Not available<\/td>Available in full sensing mode<\/td><\/tr>
App required<\/strong><\/td>Relevant manufacturer app + m-Path<\/td>m-Path Sense only<\/td><\/tr>
Add-on required<\/strong><\/td>Smartwatch integration<\/a><\/td>Sensing full<\/a><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Where the standard integration has the advantage<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Broader device support<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The standard integration supports a wide range of devices with data harmonization through the Thryve platform. So it’s possible to recruit participants and have them join your study with their own devices. You can find the full list of currently integrated sources on the Thryve data sources page<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lower add-on cost<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The standard integration requires the Smartwatch integration<\/strong> add-on, which is less expensive than the Sensing full<\/strong> add-on required for the direct Garmin integrations. See pricing page<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Computed measures included<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Thryve provides higher-level computed measures such as sleep scores, sleep stages, and daily activity summaries that are derived from raw sensor data. If these are sufficient for your research questions, the standard integration may cover your needs without the additional complexity of the direct integrations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where the direct Garmin integrations have the advantage<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Higher-resolution data<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Both direct Garmin integrations give you access to raw, high-resolution data that the standard smartwatch integration cannot provide. This includes heart rate at up to 1-second intervals and raw beat-to-beat intervals (BBI) for HRV computation. If your research questions require this level of detail, the direct integrations are the better fit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Privacy-first data flow<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

With the direct Garmin integrations, data travels directly from the watch to the m-Path Sense app and then to the researcher’s own cloud storage (pCloud or OneDrive). If avoiding third-party processors is a requirement for your study, this is an important distinction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trigger-based interventions (full sensing mode)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The full sensing mode of the direct Garmin integration supports real-time trigger-based interventions: you can configure conditions based on incoming sensor values (e.g. heart rate or stress exceeding a threshold) that automatically send a questionnaire or notification to the participant. This is not possible with the standard integration or with Garmin Lite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Full sensing or Garmin Lite?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If the direct Garmin integrations are the right fit for your study, the next question is whether you need full sensing<\/strong> or Garmin Lite<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n