Implementation of Wearable Technology for Remote Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback in Cardiac Rehabilitation

Cardiovascular diseases pose a significant threat to global health, and cardiac rehabilitation (CR) has become a critical component of patient care. Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback (HRVB) is a non-invasive approach that helps modulate the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) through Resonance Frequency (RF) breathing, supporting CR for cardiovascular patients. However, traditional HRVB techniques rely heavily on manual RF selection and face-to-face guidance, limiting their widespread application, particularly in home-based CR. To address these limitations, we propose a remote human-computer collaborative HRVB system, "FreeResp", which features autonomous RF adjustment through a simplified cognitive computational model, eliminating the reliance on therapists. Furthermore, the system integrates wearable technology and the Internet of Things (IoT) to support remote monitoring and personalized interventions. By incorporating tactile guidance technology with an airbag, the system assists patients in performing diaphragmatic breathing more effectively. FreeResp demonstrated high consistency with conventional HRVB methods in determining RF values (22/24) from 24 valid training samples. Moreover, a one-month home-based RF breathing training using FreeResp showed significant improvements in Heart Rate Variability (HRV) (p < 0.05). These findings suggest that FreeResp is a promising solution for home-based CR, offering timely and precise interventions and providing a new approach to long-term cardiovascular health management.