Technical history of the pedometer. Genesis of an everyday life sensor

The article tracks the technical history of the pedometer, highlighting the evolution of its mechanism and uses from the 16th century up until its “digital revolution”. The aim is to investigate the socio-technical configuration that has led the counting of steps to assert itself as one of the central features of contemporary practices labelled as self-tracking, which consist in recording and measuring facets – anecdotal at first glance – of everyday existences in order to enhance them.