HRV Biofeedback with the eSense Pulse!
The Mindfield eSense Pulse is a small sensor to measure your heart rate variability with your smartphone or tablet (Android or Apple iOS).
The heartbeat is related to tension and relaxation and is a potential stress indicator. With the eSense Pulse you can measure and effectively reduce your stress level with HRV biofeedback training. The eSense Pulse gives the user precise feedback about the current level of stress in a variety of forms, e.g. through measurement curves, video and audio presentation. With the eSense Pulse we have decided on a chest strap, which performs a 1-channel ECG measurement. Determine your HRV biofeedback easily and anywhere and optimise your health.
The eSense Pulse measures heart rate variability and, optionally with new eSense Respiration sensor, respiratory rhythm. The app belonging to the eSense is completely free of charge and also allows an export of the collected measurement data as CSV file or PDF report (eg via e-mail, Dropbox or Google Drive).
Measure heart rate variability and optimise HRV biofeedback
Heart rate variability (HRV) refers to the ability to change the frequency of the heart rhythm. Even at rest, there are spontaneous changes in the time between heartbeats.
A healthy person constantly adapts the heart rhythm to current requirements. In addition to physical exertion, such as sport or physical work, psychological exertion such as stress also results in an increase in the heart rate. The heart rate sinks again when the strain is relieved and the body relaxes. In humans, heart rate variability ranges from 10 (low, a sign of stress) to 30 (high, a sign of relaxation).
The more our body is able to regulate the heart rate (the greater the heart rate variability), the healthier we are. If the heart beats only rigidly, a person is about to die. With HRV biofeedback through the eSense Pulse, you train your heart muscles in a playful way and thus promote your health day after day.
The measurement of heart rate variability is a large field in cardiology, sports and coaching and is used for extensive research. With the eSense Pulse, we want to focus on HRV biofeedback training, i.e. improving heart rate variability. To describe the current state and progress of the training, the eSense app also provides the essential statistics and analyses of HRV. Measuring heart rate variability regularly is enormously important for competitive and amateur athletes. It can significantly improve your athletic performance in terms of endurance and resilience. The eSense Pulse gives you unique insights into your HRV biofeedback and thus into your cardiovascular performance. HRV biofeedback training can give you a strong competitive edge in sports.
Heart Rate Variability and Biofeedback Training
The aim of HRV biofeedback is to increase heart rate variability, specifically its amplitude. In other words, to maximize the difference between low heart rhythm and high heart rhythm in the interplay of inhalation and exhalation, rest and demands.
If respiration is included, the eSense App offers various ways to visualize it and to define respiration in a certain rhythm. The coupling of heartbeat and respiration is greatest in most people when breathing at about 4.5 to 6.5 breaths per minute. Observing by measuring these variables is what makes HRV biofeedback possible in the first place, so that heart rate variability (HRV) can be increased bit by bit. This biofeedback training is a promising method to improve your heart health and increase athletic performance. The eSense Pulse gives you detailed insight into how successful you are in controlling your heart rate variability during each training session.
Manuals for the eSense Pulse
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eSense Pulse Manual FAQ and Troubleshooting All eSense in comparison Combination possibilities eSense sensors Account Comparison Analysis of eSense data (CSV) Streaming eSense data to a PC/Mac/Browser (eSense Web App, OSC) Compatible Android and iOS devices eSense Pulse & Bittium Faros 180 Comparison Comparison measurement eSense Pulse & Faros 180 Troubleshooting connection problems Example Measurement eSense Pulse (CSV) eSense Presentation (PDF) Flyer Mindfield eSense Pulse (PDF)
Link to our helpdesk >>>
eSense Mobile App
The eSense comes with the eSense app which you can load for free in the in the Google Play Store (Android) or in the Apple App Store (iOS). The app contains a variety of functions for an effective biofeedback training in a modern design. Essential function are the display of the measured values app as bargraph and oscilloscope, a feedback by video, music, tones, vibration and by light via a Bluetooth® smart bulb.
eSense Web App and SDK
In addition to the app, we have also developed an eSense web app that mirrors and supplements the app. You can use this with the account and plans mentioned above. You can analyze your recorded data (with the basic plan) or even transfer your data to a PC in real time (live streaming with the premium plan).
The main advantage of this is that you can see the graph even better with a large screen and enlarge individual areas and have more advanced analyze features.
You can also create your own apps with our SDK. We have also developed the eSense Web App which allows you to stream your measurement data directly to a PC.
eSense Pulse & eSense Respiration
The eSense Pulse can be combined with the eSense Respiration and used simultaneously. Your breathing is a stimulator for your heartbeat and therefore combining both eSense sensors can take your training to the next level.
Procedures (inside eSense App)
A Procedure consists of several assembled modules. A module can be for example a picture, a video, some music, a bargraph, an arrow or others. You can assemble the modules in any length to a fixed procedure. Some contain biofeedback-functions (that means they reflect the changes in your measured values from the eSense), some don’t.
With this feature you can build the perfect individual relaxation guide, a stress test, a predefined biofeedback training or use it for your own research. There are many possibilities. During a procedure, your skin response, respectively or temperature (depending on the eSense sensor you have) will be recorded. Afterwards you see your results for each module and in total and you can export those to Excel for further analysis.
Choose the Pulse for
- Racing heartbeat, chest tightness
- Chronic generalized stress
- Difficulties relaxing
- Rapid shallow breathing
- Low daily energy
The eSense Pulse with the eSense App offers you
- A precise 1-channel ECG with 500 Hz sampling (internal)
- Transmission of RR distances in milliseconds at 5 Hz via Bluetooth® Low-Energy
- A chest strap that is comfortable to wear, washable and durable
- Optimal skin contact with the help of supplied electrode spray
- Theoretically unlimited recording time (but some smartphones and tablets have problems with saving sessions which are longer than 2 hours. So there is no guarantee for recordings longer than 120 minutes and 24-hours measurements are impossible)
- Unlimited number of sessions and users
- Extensive statistics on heart rate variability (time and frequency data)
- Real-time Fast Fourier analysis with spectrogram
- Breathing aid for breathing training with freely adjustable intervals, auxiliary tones and more
- Export of measurement data as CSV file, compatible with other software programs for further analysis (e.g. Kubios)
- Export of curves, diagrams and statistics as a PDF report.
- To train and improve HRV, the app offers a wealth of biofeedback feedback on HRV amplitude: Bar feedback (HRV or breathing aid), Curve feedback (HRV and breathing aid), Video feedback (videos included and your own videos may be used), Music feedback (music included and your own music may be used), Tone feedback (change of pitch by the measured values), Tactile feedback through vibration (only smartphones, tablets cannot vibrate), Feedback from smart bulbs (Bluetooth® bulb and Philps Hue products are controllable.)
- Set any number of markers during a recording
- Different, premade training procedures are included in the app
- Free training according to your wishes with any biofeedback variant or several at the same time
- Extensive in-app help and manuals
- Regular updates of the app
- Integration with our eSense Respiration to record respiration during the HRV measurement
Video of the eSense app
Quick Guide to Usage
- When you buy the eSense Pulse you can download our free app from the App Store (Apple®) or Google Play (Android). (You can also download it in advance, but the app can not be effectively used without the sensor)
- Put on the chest strap as shown in the manual and adjust it to the correct length. The strap should be tight, directly under the chest muscles, but not uncomfortably tight or squeezed.
- Once you have adjusted the belt, remove it again to apply a small spray of the enclosed electrode contact spray to each electrode (but avoid ‘bridging’ as shown in the manual).
- Start the app and click “Start”, the measurements will begin.
- Please carefully read the instructions within the app or the manual to get the best out of biofeedback training.
- Have fun with the eSense Pulse!
For whom is the eSense suitable?
- Mainly for home users
- For professional users (biofeedback trainers / therapists)
Which iOS Devices are Supported?
All iOS devices from version 15 or higher, which are (in part):- Apple® iPhone® 6S, iPhone® SE / SE 2, iPhone® 7/7 +, iPhone® 8/8 +, iPhone® X, iPhone® XR, iPhone® XS, iPhone® 11/11 Pro, iPhone® 12/12 Pro, iPhone® 13/13 Pro, iPhone® 14/14 Pro or newer
- Apple® iPad® 5th generation or newer, including all iPad Mini from 4th generation and iPad Air from 2nd generation or newer
- Apple® iPad® Pro from 1st generation or newer
Which Android Devices are Supported?
- All Android Smartphones and Tablets from Android 10.0 (Android Q) Your Android device requires Bluetooth®
- If you plan on purchasing a device for using the eSense, we suggest a Nokia G10, a Nokia G21, a Motorola Moto E40 or a Xiaomi Redmi 10 as an inexpensive entry-level device.
Included in Delivery
- Mindfield® eSense Pulse Sensor incl. battery (lasts approx. 1 year)
- Electrode contact spray
- eSense App from Mindfield (Apple App Store, Google Play or Amazon App Store)
- Detailed instructions for effective biofeedback training
Screenshots of the eSense app
Kubios HRV Premium Software
Many of our customers are interested in combining the eSense Pulse with the Kubios HRV Premium Software. This combination is suitable for scientific research as well as for the professional use as a biofeedback trainer. The Kubios HRV Premium Software offers you detailed HRV-analysis with its over 40 analysis parameters and can be perfectly combined with the eSense Pulse.
Comparison eSense Pulse and Bittium Faros 180
Our eSense Pulse is especially suitable for short measurements. For long-term measurements we also have the Faros 180 in our assortment. We have done a 10-minutes measurment with both devices for comparison. You see a high precision and consistency of the data collected in parallel on a person. The graphs are so exactly on top of each other that the graph below in blue is barely visible:
Account and Cloud (optional, no obligation)
You can register your own account for the eSense app and book plans. With these you can mainly use the cloud and its functions and get also access to the eSense web app at https://esense.live. With the basic plan, you can save your measurements locally and online in the cloud and thus access your measurements from all devices and from anywhere. You also get access to the eSense web app The Premium Plan includes all functions of the Basis Plan. In addition to your measurements, you can also save your procedures online in the cloud and thus access your procedures from all devices. (Attention: Technical limitations from Apple unfortunately do not allow the upload (and thus the synchronization) of audio files. The synchronization of picture and video files is possible, however).
Smart bulbs (optional)
The eSense app allows you to perform biofeedback with smart bulbs. Smart bulbs can change their colors and brightness and are controlled via Bluetooth®. In combination with the eSense app, you can use the light of the smart bulbs as an indicator of your stress or relaxation level. The app supports Magic Blue and Phillips Hue smart bulbs.Virtual Reality (VR) (f.i. Meta Quest 3)
All our eSense sensors and our eSense app also work with VR (virtual reality) glasses. In particular, the graph of the measurement as well as the photos and videos of the biofeedback training can be viewed in impressive detail with the VR glasses.
Medical Note
The Mindfield eSense sensors are not medical devices and should therefore only be used for stress reduction. If you suffer from any medical condition, do not perform any treatment on your own and always consult a therapist.Technical Details
- Sample frequency (internal): 500 Hz, RR intervals with 5 Hz to eSense App
- Measuring range: 30-240 BPM +- 2 BPM
- Internal error correction
- Operating range: 5-40 °C, <= 95% relative humidity
- Belt made of polyamide and conductive silicone + TPU for the electrical contacts
