Of all the things you can do with a smartphone, a very special operation is to measure your heart rate .
This type of activity can be done today with any of the fitness bracelets on sale or even with a smartwatch. Failing that, even with a simple smartphone using the camera and a special application that does the detection.
The operation of an app that measures heart rate is based on the camera and the flash : if you try to cover the light of the flash or any other flashlight with the palm of your hand you will see a red luminous effect which is the part of light in able to pass through the skin. The heart rate sensors of the fitness tracker use this light, making a bright light flash on the skin so that it penetrates inside and is reflected by the blood that flows through it. The sensor captures the image and processes it to calculate the beats per minute.
Smartphones have specifications and sufficient processing power to do this calculation so several applications have been created that using only the flash and the camera sensor can calculate the pulse and heart rate . While one might think of the usual fake app, in reality this type of app works very well, as much as the bracelet detector or smartwatches.
The best app at the moment is definitely Accurate Heart Rate Monitor, very minimal, which allows you to measure your heart rate using the camera and the flash of your smartphone. The app can support Google Fit and by sending statistics to the app for in-depth analysis. Its operation on Android is not as fast as that of fitness trackers, but it provides consistent and absolutely online results.
To measure your heart rate using the app, install it and grant access to the camera so it can turn on the flash and record the image. The app keeps the camera active and automatically starts measuring your heart beat as soon as you put your finger on the camera sensor. Your finger should be positioned to cover both the camera lens and the flash for accurate results. It is not necessary to touch any button to start the measurement manually and you can store the data in the statistics log so you can check the measurement history. You can then view the minimum, maximum and average heart rate in the weekly chart.
Another popular app that measures heart rate on Android smartphones is Instant Heart Rate, for free, although in my less accurate tests.
The best free app is Instant Heart Rate: HR Monitor .
The HR monitor calculates the impulse by passing a light through the finger. Lapp requires you to create an account before you can take a measurement. After installation, just touch the measurement button at the bottom to start the detection, at which point put your finger on the camera and be sure to cover both the sensor and the flash for maximum precision. After ten seconds or so, you will get the number of heart beats per minute.
The app offers many additional functions to heart rate measurement, but to get them you need to pay for the full version by subscription.
In general, a heart rate between 60 and 100 beats per minute is normal, while too low heart rates can indicate a well-trained person or one with health problems while high frequencies may be due to physical exertion, emotions or drugs. Although it cannot be considered a medical instrument, this type of application becomes very useful during sports activities, to check if you are trying too hard.
READ ALSO: Apps for training, sport, running and fitness (Android - iPhone)
This type of activity can be done today with any of the fitness bracelets on sale or even with a smartwatch. Failing that, even with a simple smartphone using the camera and a special application that does the detection.
The operation of an app that measures heart rate is based on the camera and the flash : if you try to cover the light of the flash or any other flashlight with the palm of your hand you will see a red luminous effect which is the part of light in able to pass through the skin. The heart rate sensors of the fitness tracker use this light, making a bright light flash on the skin so that it penetrates inside and is reflected by the blood that flows through it. The sensor captures the image and processes it to calculate the beats per minute.
Smartphones have specifications and sufficient processing power to do this calculation so several applications have been created that using only the flash and the camera sensor can calculate the pulse and heart rate . While one might think of the usual fake app, in reality this type of app works very well, as much as the bracelet detector or smartwatches.
App to measure heart rate on Android
There are many apps on the Play Store that give pretty good results. The only fundamental difference is represented by the additional functions and the method of calculating the impulse, which may slightly differ.The best app at the moment is definitely Accurate Heart Rate Monitor, very minimal, which allows you to measure your heart rate using the camera and the flash of your smartphone. The app can support Google Fit and by sending statistics to the app for in-depth analysis. Its operation on Android is not as fast as that of fitness trackers, but it provides consistent and absolutely online results.
To measure your heart rate using the app, install it and grant access to the camera so it can turn on the flash and record the image. The app keeps the camera active and automatically starts measuring your heart beat as soon as you put your finger on the camera sensor. Your finger should be positioned to cover both the camera lens and the flash for accurate results. It is not necessary to touch any button to start the measurement manually and you can store the data in the statistics log so you can check the measurement history. You can then view the minimum, maximum and average heart rate in the weekly chart.
Another popular app that measures heart rate on Android smartphones is Instant Heart Rate, for free, although in my less accurate tests.
Measure heart rate from iPhone
Despite the restrictions imposed by Apple on the iOS system, it is still possible to measure the heart rate from the iPhone without the need to use an Apple Watch or other fitness bracelets.The best free app is Instant Heart Rate: HR Monitor .
The HR monitor calculates the impulse by passing a light through the finger. Lapp requires you to create an account before you can take a measurement. After installation, just touch the measurement button at the bottom to start the detection, at which point put your finger on the camera and be sure to cover both the sensor and the flash for maximum precision. After ten seconds or so, you will get the number of heart beats per minute.
The app offers many additional functions to heart rate measurement, but to get them you need to pay for the full version by subscription.
In general, a heart rate between 60 and 100 beats per minute is normal, while too low heart rates can indicate a well-trained person or one with health problems while high frequencies may be due to physical exertion, emotions or drugs. Although it cannot be considered a medical instrument, this type of application becomes very useful during sports activities, to check if you are trying too hard.
READ ALSO: Apps for training, sport, running and fitness (Android - iPhone)
