If you’re relying solely on your Fitbit to know whether you’re heart is in good condition, then you’re in for a nasty surprise, as the connected device maker faces a class action lawsuit for inaccuracy. 

Every week we round up the latest developments in the Smart World, from new developer platforms to smart city initiatives around the world. Here’s what you missed in the Smart World:

Fitbit sued for inaccuracy

A class action lawsuit was filed against Fitbit, Inc. alleging its wearables equipped with PurePulse Heart Rate technology are grossly inaccurate, with evidence  to back the claims.

Researchers from the California State Polytechnic University, Pomona conducted studies that compared readings acquired by the Fitbits and those from an external heart monitor. It was revealed that Fitbit’s readings were off by more than 20 beats per minute and the discrepancy just gets wider the more rigorous the workout is. Fitbit claims the study is biased.

Read more about the class action lawsuit here.

Placemeter updates object recognition tools

Open “urban intelligence” platform Placemeter, Inc. has released an update for its object recognition platform, which now allows the system to classify objects it sees into five different categories; namely people, bicycles, cars, motorcycles, and large vehicles.

This update makes the system more intelligent as it not only delivers data on how many objects it sees, but what specific objects it sees. This will give clients (mostly office buildings and parking structures) a clearer picture of what happens outside the premises to make better decisions such as if parking meters are needed, or a bike path, or merely info on how much foot traffic the vicinity attracts.

Read more about the update here.

Intel acquires computer vision startup Itseez

Intel Corp. acquired Itseez, Inc. for an undisclosed amount and will utilize the technology that comes with the acquisition in its automotive portfolio. Itseez specializes in computer vision, with facial recognition the most popular implementation, that allows the computer to not just see, but also interpret what it is seeing.

Read more about the acquisition here.

Tune in next week for more interesting stories, discoveries and innovations in the world of smart and connected things.

Image courtesy of FitBit Inc