Embodiments of the relate generally to electrical and electronic hardware, computer software, wired and wireless network communications, and wearable computing devices for facilitating health and wellness-related information. More specifically, disclosed are systems, methods, devices, computer readable medium, and apparatuses configured to determine activity and activity types, including gestures, from sensed motion signals using, for example, a wearable device (or carried device) and one or more motion sensors. In some embodiments, a method can include receiving data representing a motion sensor signal from a motion sensor disposed in a wearable device, and generating intermediate motion signals from the motion sensor signal. The method also can include identifying characteristics of motion based on the intermediate motion signals to form motion characteristics data, and determining an activity based the motion characteristics data.
