Development and preliminary evaluation of an Android based heart rate variability biofeedback system

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Cardiovascular Physiology
• Digital Health

Background:

• Reduced Heart Rate Variability (HRV) is linked to various chronic diseases, including heart failure, diabetes, and chronic kidney disease (CKD).
• HRV biofeedback presents a potential non-invasive intervention to enhance HRV, offering therapeutic benefits for patients with these conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a real-time biofeedback application for increasing Heart Rate Variability (HRV).
• To assess the system's performance and usability in healthy volunteers.
• To explore the potential of HRV biofeedback as an intervention for disease management.

Main Methods:

• Development of a real-time Android biofeedback application.
• Integration with a Bluetooth-enabled ECG and thoracic electrical bioimpedance device for simultaneous heart rate and respiration monitoring.
• A brief usability and performance study involving eight healthy volunteers.

Main Results:

• The developed system demonstrated real-time performance capabilities.
• Biofeedback training sessions resulted in a significant increase in Heart Rate Variability (HRV).
• A reduction in heart rate was observed following the biofeedback sessions.

Conclusions:

• The real-time biofeedback application is effective in increasing HRV and reducing heart rate in healthy individuals.
• The system shows promise as a tool for potential therapeutic interventions in conditions associated with reduced HRV.
• Further research is needed to optimize training protocols, including session duration and intervals, for clinical application.