JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Consumer-grade wearable devices play a major role in mobile health research. The Oura Ring is an emerging device with high potential for impact across multiple scientific disciplines.

Objective:

This scoping review aimed to characterize how widely the Oura Ring has been used in prior research, and from that information to identify gaps and opportunities for future investigation.

Methods:

The review followed Arksey and O’Malley’s framework for scoping reviews. Three databases (PubMed, Embase, and Scopus) were searched for studies mentioning the Oura Ring, and the resulting records were then imported to an online management platform for twofold screening (first titles and abstracts, then full-text PDFs). Remaining studies were considered eligible for inclusion in the review, prompting data extraction and quality assessment. The primary emphasis was placed on tabulation of study designs and specific Oura variables that were used across the studies.

Results:

1141 records were identified from the initial search, of which 138 were distinct studies that met the inclusion criteria. Across studies, the Oura Ring was used to assess a dozen variables, with sleep being by far the most common (76.1% of articles; n = 105) while wear time and oxygen saturation were the least used (1.4% apiece; both n = 2). Validation studies comprised 34.1% of studies (n = 47), with especially robust evidence for estimates of sleep, heart rate, and heart rate variability. Several other study designs were represented as well, notably including epidemiological studies that, in some cases, included >10,000 participants. Discussion: The findings showed widespread use of the Oura Ring in a range of settings, thus demonstrating uptake and warrant for expanded use. Opportunities for expansion include greater use in young and old age groups, as well as more research using the latest version of the device (Oura Ring 4). Stricter reporting standards are also needed, particularly around version information (device, hardware, software, algorithm, and firmware) and data retrieval procedures.

Conclusions:

The Oura Ring shows strong potential for sustained impact in research, warranting continued use and investigation.