Dataset

LifeSnaps: 4-month in-the-wild Fitbit Sense + EMA + surveys (71 participants, EU H2020 RAIS)

LifeSnaps: 4-month in-the-wild Fitbit Sense + EMA + surveys (71 participants, EU H2020 RAIS). Recorded signals include hr, skin-temp, spo2, respiratoryrate, sleepstages, activity, ecg, stressscore. Access: request.

At a glance
Type
Dataset
Host
Not reported
Licence
Not reported
Access
Not reported
Subjects
71
PPG sites
Not reported
Setting
In the wild
Wrist
Not reported
Raw waveforms
Not reported
Updated
Nov 10, 2026

Original description

LifeSnaps Dataset Documentation

Ubiquitous self-tracking technologies have penetrated various aspects of our lives, from physical and mental health monitoring to fitness and entertainment. Yet, limited data exist on the association between in the wild large-scale physical activity patterns, sleep, stress, and overall health, and behavioral patterns and psychological measurements due to challenges in collecting and releasing such datasets, such as waning user engagement, privacy considerations, and diversity in data modalities. In this paper, we present the LifeSnaps dataset, a multi-modal, longitudinal, and geographically-distributed dataset, containing a plethora of anthropological data, collected unobtrusively for the total course of more than 4 months by n=71 participants, under the European H2020 RAIS project. LifeSnaps contains more than 35 different data types from second to daily granularity, totaling more than 71M rows of data. The participants contributed their data through numerous validated surveys, real-time ecological momentary assessments, and a Fitbit Sense smartwatch, and consented to make these data available openly to empower future research. We envision that releasing this large-scale dataset of multi-modal real-world data, will open novel research opportunities and potential applications in the fields of medical digital innovations, data privacy and valorization, mental and physical well-being, psychology and behavioral sciences, machine learning, and human-computer interaction.

The following instructions will get you started with the LifeSnaps dataset and are complementary to the original publication.

Data Import: Reading CSV

For ease of use, we provide CSV files containing Fitbit, SEMA, and survey data at daily and/or hourly granularity. You can read the files via any programming language. For example, in Python, you can read the files into a Pandas DataFrame with the pandas.read_csv() command.

Data Import: Setting up a MongoDB (Recommended)

To take full advantage of the LifeSnaps dataset, we recommend that you use the raw, complete data via importing the LifeSnaps MongoDB database.

To do so, open the terminal/command prompt and run the following command for each collection in the DB. Ensure you have MongoDB Database Tools installed from here.

For the Fitbit data, run the following:

mongorestore –host localhost:27017 -d rais_anonymized -c fitbit

For the SEMA data, run the following:

mongorestore –host localhost:27017 -d rais_anonymized -c sema

For surveys data, run the following:

mongorestore –host localhost:27017 -d rais_anonymized -c surveys

If you have access control enabled, then you will need to add the –username and –password parameters to the above commands.

Data Availability

The MongoDB database contains three collections, fitbit, sema, and surveys, containing the Fitbit, SEMA3, and survey data, respectively. Similarly, the CSV files contain related information to these collections. Each document in any collection follows the format shown below:

_id: id (or user_id): type: data:

Each document consists of four fields: id (also found as user_id in sema and survey collections), type, and data. The _id field is the MongoDB-defined primary key and can be ignored. The id field refers to a user-specific ID used to uniquely identify each user across all collections. The type field refers to the specific data type within the collection, e.g., steps, heart rate, calories, etc. The data field contains the actual information about the document e.g., steps count for a specific timestamp for the steps type, in the form of an embedded object. The contents of the data object are type-dependent, meaning that the fields within the data object are different between different types of data. As mentioned previously, all times are stored in local time, and user IDs are common across different collections. For more information on the available data types, see the related publication.

Surveys Encoding

BREQ2

Why do you engage in exercise?

Code Text

engage[SQ001] I exercise because other people say I should

engage[SQ002] I feel guilty when I don’t exercise

engage[SQ003] I value the benefits of exercise

engage[SQ004] I exercise because it’s fun

engage[SQ005] I don’t see why I should have to exercise

engage[SQ006] I take part in exercise because my friends/family/partner say I should

engage[SQ007] I feel ashamed when I miss an exercise session

engage[SQ008] It’s important to me to exercise regularly

engage[SQ009] I can’t see why I should bother exercising

engage[SQ010] I enjoy my exercise sessions

engage[SQ011] I exercise because others will not be pleased with me if I don’t

engage[SQ012] I don’t see the point in exercising

engage[SQ013] I feel like a failure when I haven’t exercised in a while

engage[SQ014] I think it is important to make the effort to exercise regularly

engage[SQ015] I find exercise a pleasurable activity

engage[SQ016] I feel under pressure from my friends/family to exercise

engage[SQ017] I get restless if I don’t exercise regularly

engage[SQ018] I get pleasure and satisfaction from participating in exercise

engage[SQ019] I think exercising is a waste of time

PANAS

Indicate the extent you have felt this way over the past week

P1[SQ001] Interested

P1[SQ002] Distressed

P1[SQ003] Excited

P1[SQ004] Upset

P1[SQ005] Strong

P1[SQ006] Guilty

P1[SQ007] Scared

P1[SQ008] Hostile

P1[SQ009] Enthusiastic

P1[SQ010] Proud

P1[SQ011] Irritable

P1[SQ012] Alert

P1[SQ013] Ashamed

P1[SQ014] Inspired

P1[SQ015] Nervous

P1[SQ016] Determined

P1[SQ017] Attentive

P1[SQ018] Jittery

P1[SQ019] Active

P1[SQ020] Afraid

Personality

How Accurately Can You Describe Yourself?

Code Text

ipip[SQ001] Am the life of the party.

ipip[SQ002] Feel little concern for others.

ipip[SQ003] Am always prepared.

ipip[SQ004] Get stressed out easily.

ipip[SQ005] Have a rich vocabulary.

ipip[SQ006] Don't talk a lot.

ipip[SQ007] Am interested in people.

ipip[SQ008] Leave my belongings around.

ipip[SQ009] Am relaxed most of the time.

ipip[SQ010] Have difficulty understanding abstract ideas.

ipip[SQ011] Feel comfortable around people.

ipip[SQ012] Insult people.

ipip[SQ013] Pay attention to details.

ipip[SQ014] Worry about things.

ipip[SQ015] Have a vivid imagination.

ipip[SQ016] Keep in the background.

ipip[SQ017] Sympathize with others' feelings.

ipip[SQ018] Make a mess of things.

ipip[SQ019] Seldom feel blue.

ipip[SQ020] Am not interested in abstract ideas.

ipip[SQ021] Start conversations.

ipip[SQ022] Am not interested in other people's problems.

ipip[SQ023] Get chores done right away.

ipip[SQ024] Am easily disturbed.

ipip[SQ025] Have excellent ideas.

ipip[SQ026] Have little to say.

ipip[SQ027] Have a soft heart.

ipip[SQ028] Often forget to put things back in their proper place.

ipip[SQ029] Get upset easily.

ipip[SQ030] Do not have a good imagination.

ipip[SQ031] Talk to a lot of different people at parties.

ipip[SQ032] Am not really interested in others.

ipip[SQ033] Like order.

ipip[SQ034] Change my mood a lot.

ipip[SQ035] Am quick to understand things.

ipip[SQ036] Don't like to draw attention to myself.

ipip[SQ037] Take time out for others.

ipip[SQ038] Shirk my duties.

ipip[SQ039] Have frequent mood swings.

ipip[SQ040] Use difficult words.

ipip[SQ041] Don't mind being the centre of attention.

ipip[SQ042] Feel others' emotions.

ipip[SQ043] Follow a schedule.

ipip[SQ044] Get irritated easily.

ipip[SQ045] Spend time reflecting on things.

ipip[SQ046] Am quiet around strangers.

ipip[SQ047] Make people feel at ease.

ipip[SQ048] Am exacting in my work.

ipip[SQ049] Often feel blue.

ipip[SQ050] Am full of ideas.

STAI

Indicate how you feel right now

Code Text

STAI[SQ001] I feel calm

STAI[SQ002] I feel secure

STAI[SQ003] I am tense

STAI[SQ004] I feel strained

STAI[SQ005] I feel at ease

STAI[SQ006] I feel upset

STAI[SQ007] I am presently worrying over possible misfortunes

STAI[SQ008] I feel satisfied

STAI[SQ009] I feel frightened

STAI[SQ010] I feel comfortable

STAI[SQ011] I feel self-confident

STAI[SQ012] I feel nervous

STAI[SQ013] I am jittery

STAI[SQ014] I feel indecisive

STAI[SQ015] I am relaxed

STAI[SQ016] I feel content

STAI[SQ017] I am worried

STAI[SQ018] I feel confused

STAI[SQ019] I feel steady

STAI[SQ020] I feel pleasant

TTM

Do you engage in regular physical activity according to the definition above? How frequently did each event or experience occur in the past month?

Code Text

processes[SQ002] I read articles to learn more about physical activity.

processes[SQ003] I get upset when I see people who would benefit from physical activity but choose not to do physical activity.

processes[SQ004] I realize that if I don't do physical activity regularly, I may get ill and be a burden to others.

processes[SQ005] I feel more confident when I do physical activity regularly.

processes[SQ006] I have noticed that many people know that physical activity is good for them.

processes[SQ007] When I feel tired, I make myself do physical activity anyway because I know I will feel better afterwards.

processes[SQ008] I have a friend who encourages me to do physical activity when I don't feel up to it.

processes[SQ009] One of the rewards of regular physical activity is that it improves my mood.

processes[SQ010] I tell myself that I can keep doing physically activity if I try hard enough.

processes[SQ011] I keep a set of physical activity clothes with me so I can do physical activity whenever I get the time.

processes[SQ012] I look for information related to physical activity.

processes[SQ013] I am afraid of the results to my health if I do not do physical activity.

processes[SQ014] I think that by doing regular physical activity I will not be a burden to the healthcare system.

processes[SQ015] I believe that regular physical activity will make me a healthier, happier person.

processes[SQ016] I am aware of more and more people who are making physical activity a part of their lives.

processes[SQ017] Instead of taking a nap after work, I do physical activity.

processes[SQ018] I have someone who encourages me to do physical activity.

processes[SQ019] I try to think of physical activity as a time to clear my mind as well as a workout for my body.

processes[SQ020] I make commitments to do physical activity.

processes[SQ021] I use my calendar to schedule my physical activity time.

processes[SQ022] I find out about new methods of being physically active.

processes[SQ023] I get upset when I realize that people I love would have better health if they were physically active.

processes[SQ024] I think that regular physical activity plays a role in reducing health care costs.

processes[SQ025] I feel better about myself when I do physical activity.

processes[SQ026] I notice that famous people often say that they do physical activity regularly.

processes[SQ027] Instead of relaxing by watching TV or eating, I take a walk or am physically active.

processes[SQ028] My friends encourage me to do physical activity.

processes[SQ029] If I engage in regular physical activity, I find that I get the benefit of having more energy.

processes[SQ030] I believe that I can do physical activity regularly.

processes[SQ031] I make sure I always have a clean set of physical activity clothes.

Files Description

Scored Surveys Data: breq.csv, panas.csv, personality.csv, stai.csv, ttm.csv

Fitbit & EMA Data (daily granularity): daily_fitbit_sema_df_unprocessed.csv

Fitbit & EMA Data (hourly granularity): hourly_fitbit_sema_df_unprocessed.csv

MongoDB Dumps (compressed for practicality): rais_anonymized.7z

Code Availability

Data Anonymization: https://github.com/syfantid/RAIS-Anonymization

Exploratory Data Analysis: https://github.com/kcristinaa/LifeSnaps-EDA

Related Publications

Sofia Yfantidou, Christina Karagianni, Stefanos Efstathiou, Athena Vakali, Joao Palotti, Dimitrios Panteleimon Giakatos, Thomas Marchioro, Andrei Kazlouski, Elena Ferrari, and Sarunas Girdzijauskas, 2022, LifeSnaps: a 4-month multi-modal dataset capturing unobtrusive snapshots of our lives in the wild (Submitted for peer-review).

Acknowledgments

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement No 813162. The content of this paper reflects only the authors' view and the Agency and the Commission are not responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains. First and foremost, the authors would like to thank the participants of the LifeSnaps study who agreed to share their data for scientific advancement. The authors would like to further thank the web developers, T. Valk and S. Karamanidis, for their contribution to the project, all past and present RAIS fellows for their help with participants' recruitment, G. Pallis and M. Christodoulaki for their support with the ethics committee application, and B. Carminati for her feedback on data anonymization and privacy considerations.

Verbatim fromZenodo· Licence: see record

LifeSnaps: 4-month in-the-wild Fitbit Sense + EMA + surveys (71 participants, EU H2020 RAIS): ChatPPG research summary card

Key numbers

71
Subjects

How it works

How LifeSnaps: 4-month in-the-wild Fitbit Sense + EMA + surveys (71 participants, EU H2020 RAIS) works: Devices & body sites → Signals recorded → TasksDevices & body sites: Fitbit Sense (Google / Fitbit · Wrist). Signals recorded: LifeSnaps: 4-month in-the-wild Fitbit Sense + EMA + surveys (71 participants, EU H2020 RAIS), 71 subjects, signals ECG, SpO₂, Respiration, Temperature, HR, Activity. Tasks: Stress; Sleep staging.Devices & body sitesFitbit Sense: Google / Fitbit · WristFitbit SenseGoogle / Fitbit · WristSignals recordedLifeSnaps: 4-month in-the-wild…71 subjectsECGR / IRSpO₂RespirationTemperatureHRActivityTasksStressStressSleep stagingSleep staging

Devices· 1

Icons show the form factor: we have no openly licensed or manufacturer-cleared photo of these exact devices yet.

Models using this dataset· 1

#111 of 158 most-used datasets by published papers and models · #49 of 70 ECG

Cite this dataset

Cite this dataset with the fields recorded here. Check it against the publisher before submitting.

LifeSnaps: 4-month in-the-wild Fitbit Sense + EMA + surveys (71 participants, EU H2020 RAIS) [Data set]. (n.d.). https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6826683
@misc{lifesnapslifesnaps,
  title         = {{LifeSnaps: 4-month in-the-wild Fitbit Sense + EMA + surveys (71 participants, EU H2020 RAIS)}},
  doi           = {10.5281/zenodo.6826683}
}

Cite the ChatPPG record

Cite the dated snapshot 2026-10 for a fixed, reproducible version. Please also cite the original publications listed above.

APA

ChatPPG. (2026). LifeSnaps: 4-month in-the-wild Fitbit Sense + EMA + surveys (71 participants, EU H2020 RAIS): dataset record (Version 2026-10) [Data set]. ChatPPG Research Hub. https://chatppg.com/research/datasets/lifesnaps

BibTeX
@misc{chatppg_dataset_lifesnaps,
  author       = {{ChatPPG}},
  title        = {{LifeSnaps: 4-month in-the-wild Fitbit Sense + EMA + surveys (71 participants, EU H2020 RAIS): dataset record}},
  year         = {2026},
  month        = nov,
  version      = {2026-10},
  howpublished = {\url{https://chatppg.com/research/datasets/lifesnaps}},
  note         = {ChatPPG Research Hub, Snapshot 2026-10, https://chatppg.com/research/snapshots/2026-10}
}
CITATION.cff
cff-version: 1.2.0
message: "If you use this resource, please cite it as below."
type: dataset
title: "LifeSnaps: 4-month in-the-wild Fitbit Sense + EMA + surveys (71 participants, EU H2020 RAIS): dataset record"
authors:
  - name: "ChatPPG"
url: "https://chatppg.com/research/datasets/lifesnaps"
repository-artifact: "https://chatppg.com/research/snapshots/2026-10"
version: "2026-10"
date-released: "2026-11-10"

History

  1. Record updated