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Home > Conference Proceedings of Educational Paradigm, Systems and Strategies > Volume 1 Issue 1 of Conference Proceedings of Educational Paradigm, Systems and Strategies

Developing An Improved Heart Rate Monitor With Work-Out Training Android Application And Real Time Audio Coaching |
Conference Proceedings of Educational Paradigm, Systems and Strategies
Conference Proceedings of Educational Paradigm, Systems and Strategies

Article Info
Authors

Volume

1

Issue

1

Year

2014

ARI Id

1682060026819_1330

Pages

83-83

DOI

10.21016/ICEPSS.2014.14048

PDF URL

https://conpro.icepss.net/index.php/CPEPSS/article/download/28/19

Chapter URL

https://conpro.icepss.net/index.php/CPEPSS/article/view/28

Subjects

Heart Rate Training Intensity Karvonen Formula Target Heart Rate Zone Limits Heart Rate Training Intensity Karvonen Formula Target Heart Rate Zone Limits

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Introduction

In this project, the researchers control the health at fingertip by providing an android application that uses heart rate monitor and calculate the target heart rate of the individuals to perform at the peak.

Internationally, health conscious individuals find means to get their heart rate. For instance, Ford Research unveiled heart rate monitors in car seats. The car seat monitors a driver’s heartbeat through six sensors on the surface of the backrest that detect electrical impulses from the heart. Thus, this mobile development is only limited to people with vehicles and is not a helping tool in getting the target heart rate of individuals especially the athletes. [1]

In the Philippines, some athletes and even doctors are still using the traditional way of getting the heart rate. However, there are some who currently use heart rate monitors like those of TIMEX, MIO, and etc. [2]

UM Health Service Center told the researchers that it uses stethoscope in getting the heart rate and has no current tool to determine the target heart rate of any individuals. The athletes are determining training intensity according to the amount of sweat they have produced in every exercise. Thus, training intensity is not monitored and target heart rate is not achieved; peak of performance is low and level of risk possibility is high. [3]

Therefore, the researchers created a mobile android application that displays heart rate in digital form via HxM with Bluetooth Heart rate monitor. Moreover, it is created to help the users achieve their target heart rate and maintain a healthy way of any training exercises. Thus, training is made more responsive through deploying a real time audio coaching.

Objectives

To be able to accomplish the improvement and implementation of this study, here are the objectives of the researchers:

General Objectives

The researchers aim to create an interactive heart rate monitor android application by deploying a real time audio coaching; create work-out training program using Karvonen Formula; and provide moderately reliable information from the device and the application itself.

Specific Objectives

To successfully implement the mentioned general objectives, here are the specific objectives of the researchers:

1. To be able to create coaching messages and store it in the project; thus, will be used in the application in real time.

2. To notify users in real time with every sudden change and the needed action in order to keep an effective training exercise.

3. To connect HRM device to an android mobile and display individual’s heart rate in digital form through mobile.

4. To calculate for the maximum heart rate, zone limits, and training intensity of an individual.

5. To display the distance and speed being taken by the user using the device.

6. To display the current training intensity of the users (50% – 95%).

7. To notify the users in real time when the target heart rate is being achieved.

8. To enable users know one’s target heart rate by using a Karvonen calculator.

9. To create exercising guide to the elderly and senior users.

Scope and Limitations

The recipients of this project are the athletes from University of Mindanao but the application is not limited to any interested users. This will not run in an iOS platform. The real time monitoring will not be active when HxM heart rate monitor device is not connected to an android phone. The researchers understand that this project, specifically the application can be more advantageous if data are uploaded in the internet, implement social media sharing, and tracks the user via global positioning system; but, due to time constraints, they have decided to store the data in the mobile, defer the social media sharing and the GPS feature.

Review Of Related Systems

In this chapter, the researchers have found the following studies and systems as relevant to the system being proposed.

Before Android, heart rate monitors are already developed in an iOS platform. Some of the popular applications which support heart rate monitoring are RunKeeper, Precise Heart Rate, Healthy Beats, to work with the Bluetooth HR. [4] Moreover, the researchers found that most of them support tracking of heart rate, calories burned, time elapsed, distance, speed, and mapping.

First Android Heart Rate Monitor uses a camera and its flash to determine the users heart rate in beats per minute. The App uses the PreviewCallback mechanism to grab the latest image from the preview frame. [5] DigiFit and Edmondo have same functionalities with the mentioned applications being developed in an iOs platform. They track heart rate, calories burned, time elapsed, distance, speed, and mapping. [6] Among the heart rate monitor applications, RunKeeper is the most famous. It was one of the first iPhone applications dedicated to running; it suggests and tracks your running routes as well as your speed, distance, pace, and more. The new version also allows you to measure your heart rate. [7] Also, Precise Heart Rate is a unique app to show your heart beat on the screen. This app measures heart beat automatically, when the user places one’s index finger on the camera. [8] Another is the Healthy Beats which uses one’s device's built-in camera to take pictures of users’ fingertip, and calculate their hearts’ rhythm. [9] Zephyr HRM is a simple application that allows the user to see the current heart rate, a graphic of their pulse evolution and an indicator of the battery. You can set a limit heart beat and their Phone will alert them if they pass it. [10] Runtastic application will be able to track workouts in real-time with built-in GPS and monitor workout progress (time, distance, speed, pace, calories, elevation, etc.) [11]

RealWeld Trainer, the only welding training solution designed for a welding booth that can be used while under the hood for both live evaluation and arc-off practice, is now enabled with voice-over instruction. This new feature enables trainees to receive immediate spoken feedback as they use the system to improve their welding skills. [12]

The researchers are inspired by this real time audio coaching. Though, this system is not related with heart rate monitors but is useful in generating a study of real time audio coaching in the field of sports, specifically in heart rate monitor applications. Furthermore, the following table shows the relationship and differences of the proposed and related systems:

Table 1. Comparison of Systems

System Display Heart Rate Personal Work-out Diary External Device Interpret Heart Rate Result Helps Achieve Target Heart Rate Real-Time Audio Coaching
RunKeeper Ö Ö Ö      
Precise Heart Rate Ö          
Healthy Beats Ö          
Zephyr HRM Ö   Ö      
Runtastic Ö Ö        
RealWeld Systems           Ö
TechnoHeart Ö Ö Ö Ö Ö Ö

The table shows that it can be concluded that the basic concepts of personal workout diary from Runkeeper and Runtastic; metrics from Precise Heart Rate and Healthy Beats; and, the use of an external device from Zephyr Heart Rate Monitor which were inspired by real time audio coaching from RealWeld Systems trigger the spur of this study.

Technical Background

This chapter provides the technical background for the development of objectives described in this project. The researchers use Karvonen Formula which is a relatively accurate and very popular method for determining heart rate reserve. It is an accurate way of determining target heart rate with and error of ±5 -10 beats and is recommended by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). [13] The formula uses maximum and resting heart rate with the desired training intensity to get a target heart rate.

Target Heart Rate = ((max HR − resting HR) × %Intensity) + resting HR

In this project, the researchers aimed to emphasize the target heart rate zone limits defining the heart rate as to: light, moderate, heavy, very heavy, and maximal. This is to prevent overtraining which may lead to heart problem.

In developing the android mobile application, the researchers used the Java Programming Language as the main programming language. The researchers downloaded the Android SDK and integrated it with the Eclipse IDE. They chose the v2.2 or Froyo in developing the android mobile application. Furthermore, higher version will also support this proposed application. SQLite Database Browser is the freeware application used by the researchers in creating the database for the Dictionary of the mobile application. Moreover, the Zephyr HxM BT is the first fitness-tracking device supported by both Android and Windows Phone 8 devices. It combines Smart Fabric, heart rate sensor technology, movement sensors, and Bluetooth connectivity on a chest strap for athletes who live on the cutting edge of technology. Paired with the HxM, phone can track exercise intensity level, speed, and distance. The frequency of the device is 2.4-2.4835GHz.Heart Rate Range is 25-240 bmp.The device can transmit data up to 10 meters.The battery is a rechargeable lithium polymer and can last up to 26 hour per charge. The device can work between 10-50 degree Celsius and has a humidity of 5-95%. The HxM BT SDK bundled package is intended as a toolkit for implementing an API to enable communications with a Zephyr Bluetooth Heart Rate / Speed & Distance Monitor (HxM BT) and provides both PC and Android resources for connecting to the device to receive live data.

Once Bluetooth connection has been established with the HxM, the data packets can be received by the connecting device. The following sequence diagrams shows an example session:

Figure 1. System Architecture of TechnoHeart

The figure below shows the process of the system. It will accept the users’ age, name, gender and resting heart rate to calculate for the target heart rate, zone limits and training intensity of the users.

INPUT PROCESS OUTPUT

Figure 2. Conceptual Framework of the Study

Methodology

Agile method was used in developing the application because the researchers had conducted repeated alterations and agile method is also flexible since the researchers used a lot of functions that helps the system work.

Requirements Specification

The application is intended to run with BT HxM Heart Rate Monitor which can monitor heart range between 25- 240 BPM, having a frequency of 2.4- 2.4835GHz. The battery is rechargeable that will last up to 26 hours per charge. The mobile can be accessed within 10 meters. Furthermore, device can only operate between -10 – 50 degrees Celsius with humidity limits of 5-95%.

Other Nonfunctional Requirements

The application has its own safety measures, since the application focuses on gradual amount of heart rate bits/bytes of data being processed. The main safety feature of the system is to help the host android device hasten the bit by bit process and lessen the amount of time the android device's processor will have to work. The user must secure its android device because the application saves all the workout data into the device's internal memory/SD card and if the user’s device is not secured enough, all of the data stored might be lost or compromised.

Design

This part introduces the design implementation of the development which includes presentation of diagrams, analysis, and etc. The following is the use case of the TechnoHeart application on its four main functionalities: Workout Diary, Registration, Calculation, and Audio Coaching. Beside is the diagram which introduces the entity relationship diagram which modifies the primary keys and entities of the back end portion of the application.

Figure 6. ERD of TechnoHeart Figure 5. Use Case of TechnoHeart

Activity Diagram

The following shows the activities taken by the researchers in implementing the TechnoHeart application:

Figure 7 Activity Diagram of TechnoHeart

Development and Testing

The software life cycles and the processes and the development it underwent are part of the structure implemented while developing and creating the entire application.

Agile methodology was used in developing the application because the researchers had enough time to do repeated alterations and agile methodology is also flexible since the researchers used a lot of functions that helps the system work..

The application was deployed into three sets: the UM athletes, Elderly users (50-80 years old), and Young users (12-49). The users evaluated the application by writing it down to the evaluation paper given to them. Software testing methods are traditionally divided into white- and black-box testing. These two approaches are used to describe the point of view that a test engineer takes when designing test cases. On the White-box testing activity, the researchers conducted the Static Testing which involves the reviewing the code itself for logical errors. While on the Black-box testing activity, the researchers conducted Functional Testing which involves testing the functionalities if the actual output matches the expected output of the system. They also did the Configuration testing which tests the mobile application on different hardware or mobile devices.

Recommendation & Implementation

After testing, testers were able to give some recommendations that the researchers must opt to implement such improvements for the application.

Recommendation

The researchers strongly recommend the use of TechnoHeart for athletes and non- athletes who are aiming for an effective cardiovascular training. The said mobile application is feasible since some of the students are now using android smart phones. It is also economically feasible because smart phones are now cheap and can be purchased without difficulty.

The researchers also recommend to the next researchers if they want to improve the study, they may focus on the compatibility of the application to other mobile platforms like the iOS, Blackberry, Windows and etc. Also, they may upload application in the internet such as in social networking sites or any features that would make this project more usable. Upon the deployment of TechnoHeart, the UM Sports Coordinator said it was good because it would help the UM athletes to achieve optimum cardiovascular training. However, there is still recommendation made by the assistant faculty: the Sports Coordinator recommended that the user-interface must be improved to gain the interests of the students in using the mobile application; and, the athletes complained about the color of the user interface and recommended to make it more colorful.

Implementation

The implementation used in testing the application is Pilot implementation where the application is tested by different user and accepted recommendations from the users. This is also the desired implementation because the evaluating is used in testing the application.

References

[1] Health Check System.2012. Health checksystem. Mio strapless heart rate monitor. DOI=http://www.healthchecksystems.com/mio_heart_monitors.htm#more

[2]Timex. 2013. Timex. Heart rate monitors. DOI = http://global.timex.com/

[3]TRAP. 2013. What is TRAP. Resources. DOI = http://www.triathlon.org.ph/

[4]Justine Wetherell. 2013.Android-heart-rate- monitor. Android heart rate monitor.DOI=https://code.google.com/p/android-heart-rate-monitor/

[5]OpenSky Project Inc.. 2013.OpenSky. Heart Rate monitors for iOs.DOI= http://www.opensky.com/wahoo-fitness/product/heart-rate-monitor-for-iphones-by-wahoo-fitness

[6]Digifit. 2013. Digifit: get fit, stay healthy.Track heart rate and calories on androiddevices.DOI=http://www.digifit.com/Polar/Polar-Bluetooth-Android-heartrate monitor.asp

[7]RunKeeper2013.RunKeeperPro-with heart rate monitor. DOI=http://runkeeper.com/heartrate monitoring

[8]AppBrain 2013. Precise Heart Rate. DOI= http://www.appbrain.com/app/preciseheartrate/com.broov.heartbeat

[9]GoogleApp.2013. Healthy Beats. DOI= https://play.google.com/store/apps/detass?id=com.extentia.heartrate&hl=en

[10]Zephyr Technology Corporation.2013. HxM Smart Heart rate monitors DOI=http://www.zephyranywhere.com/products/hxm-smart-heart-rate monitor/?gclid=CLKnlqzMlLoCFVF64god3E4ATg

[11]Runtastic GMBH.2013.Runtastic. DOI= https://www.runtastic.com/en/smartphones/androidColumbus, OH. September 30, 2013

[12]RealWeld System announces Support for Real-Time Audio Coaching. DOI = http://www.prweb.com/releases/2013/9prweb11146594.htm

[13]Accuracy of a heart rate monitor in a gym.DOI=http://healthyliving.azcentral.com/accuracy-heart-rate-monitor-gym-19090.html

 

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