Cardivo
Cardivo guides
Fingertip camera heart rate
This article is for general wellness education. It is not medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Camera readings in Cardivo are estimates. If you feel unwell or think you are having an emergency, contact emergency services and a clinician.
Many wellness apps estimate heart rate with the rear camera and flash. Blood volume in the fingertip changes slightly with each beat. That changes how much light returns to the camera. Software turns that pulse of color into an estimated beats per minute. The method is often called PPG (photoplethysmography). It is a home check, not a hospital monitor.
How to give the camera a fair chance
- Cover the lens gently. Pressing hard can blanch the finger and flatten the signal.
- Stay still. Walking, talking, or hunting for a better angle adds noise.
- Warm hands help. Cold fingertips often read poorly.
- Keep the phone steady on a table if you can.
What Cardivo is and is not
Cardivo is built for a calm fingertip reading and a journal around it. Camera heart rate, and any blood pressure or oxygen figures shown from the same flow, are wellness estimates. They can differ from a chest strap, a clinic ECG, or a medical pulse oximeter. The flash may feel warm during a measurement.
If you need a clinical test, use clinical equipment and a qualified professional.