Embodiments relate generally to a wearable device implementing a touch-sensitive interface in a metal pod cover and/or bioimpedance sensing to determine physiological characteristics, such as heart rate. According to an embodiment, a wearable device and method includes determining a drive current signal magnitude for a bioimpedance signal to capture data representing a physiological-related component, and selecting the drive current signal magnitude as a function of an impedance of a tissue. Further, the method can include driving the bioimpedance signal to that are configured to convey the bioimpedance signal to the tissue. Also, the method can receive the sensor signal from the tissue, adjust a gain for an amplifier, and apply the gain to data representing the physiological-related component. The method can include generating an amplified signal to include a portion of the physiological-related signal component that includes data representing a physiological characteristic.