Techie uses fitness band data to figure out which co-workers stress him out the most, the internet is fascinated | Today’s news
A software engineer’s unconventional use of wearable technology has sparked debate online after he revealed how he used heart rate data and his work calendar to identify which meetings – and which colleagues – caused him the most stress.
The experiment, shared by Pankaj Tanwar on X, quickly caught the attention of the internet, with users praising the creativity behind the project and joking about its potential impacts on the workplace.
According to Tanwar, the idea came from a simple question: can stress in the workplace be measured objectively, rather than relying on intuition?
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Pankaj Tanwar used heart rate data from his Whoop fitness tracker and compared it to his work calendar to see which meetings and colleagues caused him the most stress.
Tanwar created a “stress ladder” that ranked co-workers based on their physiological impact during meetings, which helped him understand which interactions were associated with stress spikes.
He focused on objective measurement of workplace stress and tried to relate his physiological responses to specific workplace interactions, rather than relying solely on personal feelings or intuition.
The experiment received considerable attention, with users expressing admiration and humor, discussing its implications for workplace dynamics and potential for personal analysis.
Yes, it can be useful for others to analyze their stress levels using biometric data, as it can provide an objective view of their work environment and relationships.
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How the experiment worked
Instead of just dreading stressful meetings, Tanwar decided to analyze them.
Using his fitness tracker, Whoop accessed minute-by-minute heart rate data and compared it to entries from his work calendar. To do this, he used Fable to reverse-engineer the wearable and extract detailed physiological information.
By correlating his heart rate fluctuations with meeting schedules and attendee lists, he was able to determine which interactions were associated with the greatest stress swings.
The analysis ultimately produced what he described as a personal “stress scale”—a ranking of co-workers based on their physiological impact during meetings.
While Tanwar withheld names and identifying information to protect privacy, he admitted the findings remain difficult to ignore.
Check out the tweet here:
A viral experiment in the workplace
The post resonated with users across the platform and has since amassed over 9.5 million views and over 41,000 likes on X.
Many users were amused by the idea of turning workplace interactions into measurable data, while others saw it as an example of how personal analytics can be used in everyday life.
The concept also sparked conversations about the growing capabilities of wearable technology and how biometric data can reveal patterns that people might otherwise miss.
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Internet Reacts
As the post gained traction, users flooded the comments section with reactions ranging from admiration to humor.
One user joked about the business potential of the idea, writing:
“This could easily be profitable.
just market it as a ‘team performance analysis’ and let businesses find out who creates the most stress before layoffs.”
Another user praised Tanwar’s passion for construction projects:
“I recently cited your example as someone who clearly loves what he does – and shares it with the world.
And that in itself is his biography.
It doesn’t need a paper one.
His fun with his work speaks for itself.
Others wanted to try similar experiments themselves.
“Sell it! I’ll buy it,” one user commented.
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Another wrote: “I’m stealing this but I’m attaching it to my kids screen time.”
One commenter applauded the creativity behind the project, saying:
“lolololol you can just build stuff… and be super horny about it too. I LOVE it!”
Another summed up the internet’s reaction with a blunt observation:
“Turning your cortisol into a co-worker ranking is insane.
“Interesting idea, but it depends… one meeting you could go to another floor, just eat something with sugar before the next, and when you met senior_dev, it was N hours after your last meal and you teamed up after working on boring stuff to meet over a laptop,” the user commented.
