Comment by specialist | Hacker News Reader

Comment by specialist | Hacker News Reader

Should any of Apple's boffins be reading...

I desperately want active breath monitoring. Like measuring breaths per minute. Like nudging me when I'm holding my breath.

These features would greatly help me with managing chronic pain.

Also, the "pulmonauts" are doing a bunch of cool new stuff. Active breath monitoring would be a boon.

"Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art Hardcover" by James Nestor [2020-05-26] https://www.amazon.com/Breath-New-Science-Lost-Art/dp/073521...

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Out of curiosity, I tried using some decibel meter type apps to detect my breathing (breath sounds). Just to see if it's even possible.

I didn't get very far. I haven't had the gumption to investigate further. Use an actual mic and tape recorder, because maybe the iPhone is doing active noise cancelation or something. If there's actually some signal (sound), maybe there's also a way to get the raw data from the iPhone mic.

Asked another way, I'm not smart enough to figure out if an iPhone's stock mics are sensitive enough to pick up 10 decibels (breath sounds). My google-fu is weak.

> I desperately want active breath monitoring. Like measuring breaths per minute.

Not sure about the state of Apple Watchen but my Garmin watch (a several year old Fenix) monitors breaths per minute, history, and has breath exercises. Seems this would be easily within reach of Apple so I’m not sure why they’re not doing it if Garmin is. Unless what Garmin considers accurate or reliable isn’t up to Apple standards. Shrug.

Thank you! I don't know how I missed the Garmin. (My google-fu is weaker than I had feared.)

TIL: Garmin also uses HRV to infer respiration, aka respiratory sinus arrhythmia. But it's good enough for all day. And skimming their forums suggests their users are content that it works as advertised.

https://www.garmin.com/en-GB/garmin-technology/health-scienc...

https://www.garmin.com/en-SG/blog/critical-relationship-betw...

There's an iPhone app called Lungy that monitors breathing for interactive exercises, but it requires holding the phone just right and breathing at the mic. Probably not good enough to monitor under less ideal conditions with the existing mic. Apple Watch and other smartwatches track breathing rate, but the ones I know of only give periodic estimates when conditions are right, not really real time monitoring.

You can archive this without tech by practicing mindfulness.

Begin by focusing on your breath whenever you leave a room.

I get breathing rate info through my Apple Watch, seems only to be when sleeping though.

> Should any of Apple's boffins be reading...

I desperately want active breath monitoring

I don't think it's a great idea to call people boffins and then ask them to do something for you.

I'm not a native speaker, but as far as I know a "boffin" is not derogatory, at least in British English. I liken it to "nerd" in US English.

From Wikipedia[^0]:

> Boffin is a British slang term for a scientist, engineer, or other person engaged in technical or scientific research and development. A "boffin" was viewed by some in the regular services as odd, quirky or peculiar, though quite bright and essential to helping in the war effort through having and developing the key ideas leading to transformative military capabilities.

[^0]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boffin

You may be confusing boffin (British slang for expert) with buffoon (a ridiculous but amusing person)

Thanks you are correct, I took it as derogatory.

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