A pacing aid for meditation and relaxation. It plays a gentle metronome that starts near your current pulse and slowly leads it slower, so you can settle into a calmer rhythm.
No. Pulse Metronome is not a medical device. It does not diagnose, treat, prevent or monitor any medical condition, and it must not be used to make medical decisions. If you have a heart condition or any health concern, talk to your doctor before using it.
The moving trace is an illustration that follows the metronome’s beat. It is not a recording of your heart’s electrical rhythm (it is not an ECG) and should not be read as one.
The pulse comes from your pulse oximeter. Its accuracy depends on the device itself, finger placement, movement, cold hands and other factors. The app shows whatever the device sends over Bluetooth. For many reasons the app can’t confirm that what it shows matches what the device measured. If the device sends incorrect or garbled data, the app has no way to detect or correct it, so there’s no guarantee that any reading shown is accurate. For questions about the readings themselves, check with your device’s manufacturer.
Nothing leaves your phone. The app has no account and no ads, collects no analytics, and doesn’t use the internet. Your session history (pulse and metronome readings, dates and settings) is stored only on your phone.
Android’s own device backup may include the app’s data in your Google backup. That’s controlled by Android, not by this app. For details about how device backups are stored and used, check with Google, your phone’s manufacturer or your carrier. Uninstalling the app deletes its data from the phone.
The Wellue KS-60FW and oximeters using the FS20F protocol are tested. The BerryMed BM1000 series, the EMAY SleepO2, the Wellue/Viatom O2Ring and Checkme O2, and oximeters that use the standard Bluetooth Pulse Oximeter Service are supported but haven’t been tested. If you don’t see your device listed here, it may still work using one of these protocols. Other devices may be added in the future as they become available.
You don’t need a pulse oximeter to use this app. Simply concentrating on the tic of the metronome and noticing when it aligns with your pulse is generally enough to guide you for a pulse focused meditation. Before I built this app, I used to use a standard metronome set with a fixed rate. It doesn’t work quite as well, but it does work.
If you are someone who can’t typically relax and feel your pulse, you’re not excluded from using this app. Sitting quietly, listening to the tic of the metronome, and just imagining that the tic is your pulse will typically suffice.
No. Simply relaxing and noticing where you can feel your pulse is sufficient.
1) Sit or lie in a relaxed position that is quiet.
2) Start your pulse-oximeter if available, and connect it to the app.
3) Choose your target BPM, and duration.
4) Press START
5) Notice when your pulse and the tic of the metronome happen at the same time.
This is normal. Many factors contribute to your ability to relax and focus on your pulse rate. With more practice you’ll get better at allowing it to be guided downward towards your goal.
This has to do with the “Max Offset BPM” in the settings. If the max offset is set too low, there simply may not be enough time to reach your target BPM rate.
Android requires these specific permissions before any app can use the matching features. Bluetooth permission lets the app find and connect to your oximeter. Notification permission lets it show the running session and the end-of-session alarm while the app is in the background.
Yes, it’s free with no ads. The source code is public on GitHub: github.com/shanec42/pulse-metronome.
Open an issue on GitHub: github.com/shanec42/pulse-metronome/issues.