Topic detail: BreathState - front-end and feature development as well as device compatibility extension of a phone-based app for heart-rate variability biofeedback and resonance breathing protocols
Mentors: Alex Zhao <alex.zhao@mail.mcgill.ca>, Ashok Jummigumpula <ashok.j@manipal.edu>, Sachin Bhat <sachinbhat88@gmail.com>, Suresh Krishna <suresh.krishna@mcgill.ca>
Skill level: Intermediate – Advanced
Required Skills: Fluency with Android/iOS development and Flutter. Basic signal processing familiarity preferred, as well familiarity with at least one of Python/Matlab. Familiarity with a VR framework (e.g. Unity) is a plus.
Time commitment: Full time (350 hours)
About:
In last year’s GSoC (BreathState: GSoC 2025 Final Report · GitHub), we built an open-source app to record heart-rate (via a Bluetooth connection to the Polar H10) and breathing (via the phone microphone) simultaneously and provide a small set of metrics and algorithms operating on the two time-series, along with front-end design to facilitate guided breathing protocols.
Aims: This year’s project can have multiple goals. 1. Interface with a breathing sensor to measure respiration in a better fashion (than using the phone’s microphone). Include support for visualization of ongoing heart-rate variability through a VR device like Meta Quest 3(S) for increased immersion and biofeedback-guided HRV self-adjustment. 3. Interface with Muse to simultaneously record EEG. 4. Improve the front-end and include additional biometrics as well breathing protocols, in collaboration with the clinician mentors. These will allow the study of autonomic nervous function, and will allow biofeedback protocols for mood and health intervention to be implemented via live tracking of breathing and heart-rate.
Website: GitHub - m2b3/BreathState2_2025 · GitHub
Tech keywords: App development, biofeedback, mood intervention, health ML/AI, biosignals