Samsung’s Antioxidant Index on Galaxy Watch8 transforms what once seemed like science fiction into everyday technology. In five seconds, a thumb scan returns carotenoid levels – the industry’s first measurable nutrition index.^[1]

By miniaturising lab-grade sensor technology, the feature turns your diet into an actionable metric for healthier aging. Establishing this new benchmark in wearable health tracking required years of intensive R&D, countless prototypes and unwavering grit.

Breaking New Ground in Nutrition Tracking

Back in 2018, Samsung saw a critical gap in wearables: we could count steps and calories, yet there was no simple way to measure how our diet impacted our health. Deeper nutritional insights were locked behind expensive and time-consuming lab tests, out of reach for many people.

As people live longer, the focus is shifting from simply increasing lifespan to improving the quality of those additional years.

“In this context, antioxidation naturally gains attention as a method to slow down aging,” explains Dr. Hyojee Joung, a Seoul National University public health nutrition expert who guided parts of the tech’s development. “If antioxidant management is neglected, Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) accumulate in the body, increasing the risk of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer.”

This realisation made antioxidants the cornerstone of Samsung’s mission. Engineers and scientists focused on carotenoids – key antioxidants and proven indicators of fruit and vegetable intake – to create a device small enough to sit on your wrist, yet powerful enough to turn complex antioxidant data into simple, actionable health insights for everyone.

The first prototype of the spectroscopy-based antioxidant sensor

A clinical-ready version of the sensor

A prototype designed for use in skincare products

Challenge #1: How to Shrink the Lab-Grade Sensor Technology

From day one, the dream of a nutrition-tracking wearable hit an immediate snag: traditional methods for measuring carotenoid levels like Raman spectroscopy are laser-based, non-invasive and precise, but rely on bulky machines that are far from wearable. So, the team’s first mission was to shrink the lab-grade tech into a coin-sized sensor.

After seven years of rigorous testing and optimising since the first prototype, the team developed the miniaturised sensor, a groundbreaking tech that combines multi-wavelength LEDs with a custom photodetector array to provide carotenoid readings in a compact design.

“Our breakthrough was integrating reflectance spectroscopy with LEDs, which allowed us to miniaturise the technology while maintaining a high level of accuracy,” explains Jinyoung Park, a developer from Digital Health Team at Samsung Electronics.

Antioxidant sensor LED-PD sensor modules

Unlike lasers, which emit a sharp, narrow wavelength, LEDs emit a broader wavelength range. By analysing how much light is absorbed by the skin at multiple wavelengths through photodiodes,^[2] the watch estimates carotenoid levels with impressive accuracy. The advanced algorithms that continuously calibrate in real-time also support precision while delivering personalised insights to each user.

The LED-PD Watch prototype testbed

Challenge #2: How to Ensure the Tech Reaches Everyone

Creating a coin-sized carotenoid sensor was a major milestone, but the next challenge was ensuring it could work accurately and reliably across diverse skin types, making it truly accessible to everyone.

To overcome challenges like melanin interference in darker skin tones, Samsung’s engineers opted to use the fingertip for measurements since it has the least melanin across all ethnic groups. They also added simple tweaks, like light fingertip pressure during scans, which helps temporarily reduce blood flow and hemoglobin interference, making the results more accurate.

Extensive trials conducted at Samsung Medical Centre, included hundreds of participants, validating the sensor’s performance. This paved the way for a feature that seamlessly transitioned from the lab to users worldwide, offering an inclusive solution designed for everyday life.

How It Works

Carotenoids are the natural red, yellow, and green pigments found in fruits and vegetables. Since our bodies can’t produce carotenoids on their own, the levels stored in the body offer a clear snapshot of how much fruit and vegetables someone has been eating.

This is where your Antioxidant Index score comes in, reflecting your carotenoid levels based on these categories:

• Very low: Less than 50% of the daily WHO recommendation of 400g per day.
• Low: Between 50%–100%.
• Optimal: 100% or more.

“Skin carotenoids metabolise and accumulatein tissues gradually, so short-term changes in fruit and vegetable intake won’t immediately appear in the score,” explains Dr. Hyojee Joung. “Our research shows that increased carotenoid intake leads to a meaningful rise in skin carotenoid levels after about one to two weeks, making the Index a valuable tool for tracking consistent, long-term dietary habits.”

Lifestyle factors like sleep quality, stress levels, and physical activity also influence the Index, making it a well-rounded indicator of overall health. Paired with other Galaxy Watch8 features like sleep coaching, activity tracking and Vascular Load monitoring, the Antioxidant Index offers a holistic view of your well-being, empowering smarter decisions for healthier aging. ^[1]

The Antioxidant index feature measures carotenoid levels in seconds with the sensor on the back of the Galaxy Watch8 and provides additional nutritional insights on paired Galaxy smartphones.

Your Health, Reimagined

“New wearable sensors can play a role in helping people build healthy eating habits by tracking and encouraging sufficient daily intake of fruits and vegetables,” says Professor Yoonho Choi from Samsung Medical Centre. “Over time, this simple practice can help prevent some cancers and other age-related diseases, making it a very effective way to support long-term health.”

Antioxidants are an emerging area of focus, but research has been limited due to the challenges of accurate measurement. Galaxy Watch8’s Antioxidant Index goes beyond current industry developments and delivers meaningful innovation.

Samsung’s ability to measure antioxidant levels with precision, acknowledged by experts as a benchmark for future research, represents a breakthrough in health monitoring. By helping users identify risks early and take proactive steps towards better health, Samsung is paving the way for a smarter, more proactive approach to wellness and redefining the role of wearables in preventative healthcare.

^{[1] The Galaxy Watch 8 series is not a medical/therapeutic device. It solely intended for fitness and wellness purposes only and is not intended for use in detection, diagnosis, treatment of any medical condition. The result is for your personal reference only. Please consult a medical professional for advice.}

^{[2] Photodiodes are semiconductor devices that convert light into electrical signals.}

[Wellness Tracking] Galaxy Ring tracks sleep, health and wellness activities with advanced sensors

[Design Specs] The Galaxy Ring is tough, scratch‑resistant, and suitable for heavy daily use with Titanium Grade 5 durability, 10ATM resistance, and seven‑day battery life.

Samsung Electronics Singapore today announced that the highly anticipated addition to the Samsung ecosystem, the Galaxy Ring^[1] is now available in Singapore.

The Galaxy Ring offers Samsung’s powerful sensor technology in its smallest wearable^[2] form factor yet. It provides simple, round-the-clock wellness monitoring^[3] in a stylish, comfortable, and durable design for extended wear.

“Singaporeans are increasingly more aware of their overall health and wellbeing. The Samsung Galaxy Ring can be the ultimate daily companion in monitoring and providing a better understanding of our wellbeing such as sleep and activity levels,” said Ronnie Ng, Head of Mobile eXperience, Samsung Singapore. “Powered by Galaxy AI, the Samsung Galaxy Ring offers a simplified and comprehensive wellness tracking experience; it also provides more actionable insights when paired with a Samsung smartphone”

The Samsung Galaxy Ring pushes the boundaries of health and wellness tracking by harnessing the power of AI to bring users’ bespoke insights. From advanced sleep insights to an Energy Score^[4], the Galaxy Ring lets you know when to push it to the limit or when it’s time to put your feet up.

Starting with sleep, the foundation of wellness, the Galaxy Ring features Samsung’s best-in-class sleep analysis^[5] and a powerful sleep AI algorithm to help you easily understand your sleep patterns and build better habits. Along with Sleep Score and snoring analysis, new sleep metrics such as movement during sleep, sleep latency, and heart and respiratory rate, provide a detailed and accurate analysis of sleep quality.

Wellness Tips^[6] give you tailored motivational messages for guidance throughout the day. The data and insights are integrated into Samsung Health^[7] for seamless access within one cohesive platform.

In addition, you can easily take photos or dismiss your alarm on Galaxy smartphones with a double pinch via Gestures^[8] and find the location of your Galaxy Ring using your Galaxy smartphone with Find My Ring on Samsung Find^[9].

With 10ATM water resistance[10] and a Titanium Grade 5<^span>[11] finish, you can confidently wear the Galaxy Ring anywhere without worry. Experience continuous usage with up to seven days battery life^[12], and benefit from a specially designed charging case^[13] that features stylistic LED lighting to indicate charging status.

The Samsung Galaxy Ring is available in 11 size options, from 5 to 15^[14], and three colour choices – Titanium Silver, Titanium Black and Titanium Gold.

The Galaxy Ring is now available at a recommended retail price of S$538.

For more information on the Galaxy Ring, please visit  https://www.samsung.com/sg/rings/galaxy-ring/buy

_{^[1] Galaxy Ring must be paired with a smartphone with Android 11.0 or above and minimum 1.5GB memory.}

_{^[2] Galaxy Ring is 7.0 mm x 2.6mm with weight ranging from 2.3g to 3.0g depending on size.}

_{^[3] Samsung Health tracking features are intended for general wellness and fitness purposes only. Not intended for use in the detection, diagnosis, treatment, monitoring or management of any medical condition or disease. Any health-related information accessed through the device and application should not be treated as medical advice. Users should seek medical advice from a medical professional.}

_{^[4] Available on select Android phones (Android 10 or above). Requires Samsung Health App (V6.27 or above) and Samsung account login. User must register a Galaxy Watch (Watch4 or later) or Galaxy Ring. Not intended for use in the detection, diagnosis, treatment, monitoring or management of any medical condition or disease. Any health-related information accessed through the device and application should not be treated as medical advice. Users should seek medical advice from a medical professional.}

_{^[5] Sleep tracking features are intended for general wellness and fitness purposes only. Not intended for use in the detection, diagnosis, treatment, monitoring or management of any medical condition or disease. Any health-related information accessed through the device and application should not be treated as medical advice. Users should seek medical advice from a medical professional.}

_{[6] Wellness Tips is available on Android phones (Android 11 or above) and requires Samsung Health app (v6.27 or above). Samsung account login is required. Service availability may vary by country or region. Not intended for use in the detection, diagnosis, treatment, monitoring or management of any medical condition or disease. Any health-related information accessed through the device and application should not be treated as medical advice. Users should seek medical advice from a medical professional.}

_{^[7] Samsung Health tracking features are intended for general wellness and fitness purposes only. Not intended for use in the detection, diagnosis, treatment, monitoring or management of any medical condition or disease. Any health-related information accessed through the device and application should not be treated as medical advice. Users should seek medical advice from a medical professional.}

_{[8] Gestures feature only possible for camera control and alarm dismiss, and can only be used on the Galaxy Ring paired with Samsung Galaxy smartphones running One UI 6.1.1 or above. For alarm dismiss, the clock app version must be 12.3.30.35 or above.}

_{[9] Find My Ring is only supported by Samsung Find. Location history (Track My Ring) is not supported. Find My Ring on Samsung Find tracks Galaxy Ring based on the last connected location. Samsung Find is only available on Samsung Galaxy devices with Android 11.0 or later. Find My Ring shows the last location the Galaxy Ring was paired with a Samsung Galaxy device. It does not keep track of Galaxy Ring’s location.}

_{^[10] The Galaxy Ring has a water resistance rating of 100 metres according to the ISO22810 standard. The test was conducted in 5% salt water and 4ppm chlorine water. The Galaxy Ring is also water resistant with an IP68 rating based on the lab test conditions for submersion in up to 1.5 metres of freshwater for up to 30 minutes. It is not suitable for high-pressure water activities and diving. It may be used for shallow-water activities like swimming in a pool or ocean. Water resistance is not a permanent condition and can diminish over time. If the Galaxy Ring has been exposed to sea water, rinse it in fresh water and dry after use. Refer to the user manual for further information, including care/use instructions.}

_{^[11] Titanium is only applied on the Galaxy Ring’s device frame.}

_{^[12] Battery life is based on testing conducted with a size 12 and size 13 Galaxy Ring. Battery life of the size 12 and size 13 Galaxy Ring lasts up to 7 days on a single charge. Battery life varies by ring size. Battery life is based on results from internal lab tests for typical usage pattern scenarios conducted by Samsung. Tested with results from a pre-released version of the device under the scenario of Sleep Tracking for 6 hours, Auto Workout Detection for 1 hour and 30 minutes and several specific events (20 times of reconnection after disconnection, 3 times of Samsung Health app setting change, 0.5 times of Find My Ring execution, 3 minutes of Gestures execution) assuming 24 hours of use per day. Actual battery life may vary depending on different usage patterns, device model or the battery manufacturer. Rated capacity is 17mAh for Galaxy Ring sizes 5, 6 and 7 (battery life lasts up to 6 days on a single charge), 18.5mAh for sizes 8, 9, 10 and 11 (battery life lasts up to 6 days on a single charge) and 22.5mAh for sizes 12 and 13 (battery life lasts up to 7 days on a single charge). Testing conducted by Samsung using Fast Charging USB C Cable and Samsung 25W USB C Power Adapter. Charge time varies with settings, usage patterns and environmental factors; actual results may vary.}

_{^[13] Galaxy Ring includes 1 Charging Case and 1 USB cable. Size of Charging Case varies depending on Galaxy Ring size. Wireless charger sold separately.}

_{^[14] Availability of Galaxy Ring sizes and colours may vary by country or region.}

HPSSC’s Michigan Performance Research Laboratory (MiPR) found a significant correlation between Galaxy Watch and the clinical and sport science reference devices’ measurement of heart rate, sweat loss, VO₂ max and body fat percentage measurements, validating the reliability of Galaxy Watch’s monitoring capabilities. This partnership demonstrates how the collaboration between the two organisations makes advanced and precise fitness solutions to more people.

The MiPR studies verified the accuracy of Galaxy Watch’s fitness tracking features by monitoring key metrics from elite runners, including:

• Heart rate: As the most commonly checked health metric during workouts, heart rate measures how hard the heart works during physical activity. Findings show an excellent 90% correlation with electrocardiogram equipment while running, the gold standard in heart rate measurement.
• Sweat loss: Sweat loss estimates the amount of fluid lost during physical activity and helps guide proper hydration after workouts. The study found a 95% correlation for Galaxy Watch in assessing sweat loss over varying distances ranging from 2.5 km to 20 km.
• VO₂ max: Understanding how much oxygen the body absorbs during a workout helps individuals assess their fitness levels and set optimal goals and limits. The study demonstrated an 82% correlation, indicating acceptable alignment between Galaxy Watch and clinical-grade diagnostic equipment.
• Body fat percentage: Measuring a person’s body fat percentage allows for a better understanding of physical health and fitness than tracking body weight alone. Galaxy Watch readings showed a 95% correlation with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) results, the standard diagnostic test for body composition using low-dose X-rays.

“We’re proud to be recognised by the renowned Michigan Performance Research Laboratory — their skilled researchers and expertise in wearable technology give us confidence in the accuracy of the Galaxy Watch’s fitness tracking capabilities,” said Dr. Hon Pak, Senior Vice President and Head of Digital Health Team, Mobile eXperience Business at Samsung Electronics. “We are committed to delivering precise and insightful fitness tracking experiences through strategic partnerships and advanced research.”

“Our partnership with Samsung exemplifies the power of combining industry-leading expertise with pioneering independent research at the academic level,” said Co-PIs Adam Lepley, MiPR director and associate director of HPSSC research. “Together, we can advance scientific discovery and provide information back to consumers that will enhance the use of Samsung’s technology. This synergy underscores the power of uniting academic excellence with industrial innovation, and we are grateful for this collaboration.”

“We are excited to continue our partnership with Samsung to ensure that innovations in wearable technology are accessible and accurate across all segments of the population,” said Kenneth Kozloff, HPSSC co-director. “HPSSC and MiPR are eager to unveil these outstanding outcomes that solidify our commitment to enhancing heart rate and health monitoring and are look forward to future collaborations.”

The following tips can enhance your fitness journey with the Galaxy Watch series, from setting personal goals to post-workout recovery:

• Body composition^[1]: Get a comprehensive snapshot of your body, including body fat percentage, body water content and skeletal muscle mass. Set personalised goals based on your current body status and track your progress.
• Personalised heart rate zone: Creating a personalised heart rate zone tailored to your activities allows you to align your health and wellness objectives, and train at optimal intensity levels according to your physical capabilities.
• VO₂ max^[2]: Gain deeper insight into your fitness levels by analysing how much oxygen your body uses during physical activity. VO₂ max is widely regarded as the best indicator of cardiovascular endurance.
• Sweat loss: After a run, measure your sweat loss and re-hydrate appropriately after each workout based on data​ for improved recovery.

^[1] Body Composition is only supported in Samsung Galaxy Watch4 series and later released Galaxy Watch models. Body Composition should not be used if you have an implanted pacemaker or other implanted medical devices, or if you are pregnant. Any health-related information accessed through the device and application should not be treated as medical advice. Measurement results may not be accurate if you are under 20 years old. The measurements are for your personal reference only. Please consult a medical professional for advice.

^[2] Accurate VO2 max reading requires running outdoors for at least 20 minutes with GPS on; consult user manual before use.