Last month, Google announced its plans to let Pixel owners measure heart rate and respiratory rate using their smartphone’s camera. The feature has now started rolling out to users globally. This capability is limited to Pixel phones for now, but Google plans to expand it to other Android devices in the future. So if you own a Pixel phone, here’s how you can check your heart and respiratory rate without any additional equipment.
The ability to measure heart rate and respiratory rate arrives via a recent Google Fit app update. If you do not see the feature on your Pixel phone, make sure to update the Google Fit app to the latest version available on Google Play Store.
- Measure Heart Rate Using Google Fit
- Measure Respiratory Rate Using Google Fit
Measure Heart Rate Using Google Fit
- Open Google Fit, scroll down until you see the ‘Heart rate’ section, and tap on the ‘+’ button. Go through the instructions and press ‘Start measurement’ when you’re ready.
Another wellness feature Google has added to the Fit app is the ability to measure respiratory rate. To measure your respiratory rate, place your Pixel phone on a stable surface facing you. Your head and upper torso should be in the view of your phone’s front camera.
- The respiratory rate monitoring process takes a little longer than the heart rate measurement. You will have to wait patiently while making sure you don’t move during the process. Once complete, you can save the test results using the ‘Save measurement’ button when it shows up.
So, that’s how you can use your Pixel smartphone to measure heart rate and respiratory rate. It will be exciting to see when Google expands this nifty future to more Android phones. To remind you again, do keep in mind that these measurements may not be the most accurate and do not replace medical diagnosis at its current state. Nevertheless, it is good to get yourselves checked if you notice an unusual pattern across different tests. Check out our list of the best health and fitness apps if you’re looking for other apps with similar features.
