Pixel devices will measure your heart rate with camera sensors from 8 March

Normally, a heart rate sensor is needed to measure your heart rate, which you will often find on a smartwatch or activity tracker. Various Google Pixel devices are part of a test program from 8 March to determine the heart rate by holding a finger against the camera sensor.

Mobile Vitals Features

Google announced earlier this year that it was working on so-called Mobile Vitals features for Google Fit. With the new functionalities it is possible to measure your heart rate without having regular heart rate monitors. The cameras on your (Pixel) phone are used. To date, it remained unknown when the Mobile Vitals features would be available. Android Police says this time to know that the update will be rolled out on March 8.

Initially, the Mobile Vitals functions will only be available on Pixel devices, but a rollout for other Android phones is being considered in the long term. Which devices are eligible for the update and when Google will remove the exclusivity for Pixel phones has not yet been announced. It is known how the Mobile Vitals functions work: two GIFs show the heart rate measurement and the measurements of your breathing in action. In both cases a camera sensor is used.

Measure heart rate

According to the GIF, users should place one finger on the cameras on the back of the phone to measure the heart rate rhythm. You will then be asked to apply a little pressure, so that the camera sensor gets the entire surface of your finger in view. With the ‘fingerprint’ in the image, the software can pick up so-called photoplethysmogram signals, these are small color differences of the skin that can be analyzed to estimate the heartbeat rhythm.

In addition to measuring your heart rate, Google Fit can also detect your breathing rhythm after the update. To measure your breathing rhythm, both your face and your chest must be in view via the selfie camera. It then analyzes how often your chest moves to display the number of ‘breaths per minute’. For both your heart rate (BPM) and your breathing rhythm, these are not measurements that can be compared with measurements performed with medical equipment. However, the measurements can be used to map out the state of their health for themselves.

Rollout for Pixels

Google has indicated that the feature will be rolled out to Google Pixel phones first. It is unknown which generations of Pixel phones will receive the Mobile Vitals features. Given that the first Google Pixel (XL) and Pixel 2 (XL) will no longer receive updates, chances are it is an update that will roll out for users of the Pixel 3 (XL), Pixel 3a (XL), Pixel 4 (XL), Pixel 4a, Pixel 4a 5G and the Pixel 5. Take this until the actual rollout on Monday, March 8 with the necessary grains of salt.