Camera Heart Rate Monitor - PPG Pulse Estimate

How to use this tool

1. Click "Start Measurement" and allow camera access.
2. Cover the camera lens fully with your fingertip and press gently.
3. Use the Torch button when available, or add a steady light. Hold still through the full 15-second signal window; an estimate appears only if the signal looks usable.
4. Click "Stop" to end the camera session. The estimate is informational, not medical advice.

How fingertip camera PPG works

Photoplethysmography (PPG) detects small changes in light associated with blood volume changes in tissue near the skin. This page uses fingertip contact PPG: you cover the camera lens with a fingertip while the camera records changes in the red channel. It is not face-based remote PPG (rPPG). The browser keeps the camera frames local and analyzes their average red values in JavaScript.

The tool records the time of each camera sample, then looks for repeated local peaks in the changing signal. It estimates beats per minute from the time between those peaks, so the estimate does not depend on a fixed frame rate. The signal window lasts at least 15 seconds; progress follows elapsed time. A small local waveform and simple quality status help explain whether the camera is seeing a repeating pattern, a weak signal, or a signal changing too much to use. These checks are feedback for the demonstration, not a validated accuracy score.

For example, someone curious about a quiet resting pulse can sit down, support their hand, cover the lens gently, and observe whether the tool can find a steady pattern. A camera torch may be enabled when the device supports it; otherwise, a desk lamp or phone flashlight aimed at the fingertip can provide light. Keep the light steady and change pressure gently if the signal appears saturated or weak. Camera hardware, lighting, movement, and individual differences can all change the result.

Important limitations

This browser demonstration is not clinically validated and is not a medical device. Its estimate is not a substitute for an ECG, a certified pulse oximeter, or a clinical examination. Do not use it to assess symptoms, heart rhythm, oxygen levels, or to make treatment decisions. If you have a medical concern, consult a qualified health professional.

Your camera feed never leaves your device

All camera frames are read from a local video stream and processed with the Canvas API and JavaScript in your browser. No video frames, pulse estimate, or measurement history are sent to a server or saved by this tool. The shared media-device preference stores only a camera choice if you explicitly select one in a device selector.

Optimal conditions

• Steady light: use the camera torch if available, or aim a desk lamp or phone flashlight at your fingertip. Avoid changing the light while collecting.
• Clean camera lens: smudges or scratches reduce signal quality.
• Stay still: rest your arm or hand on a stable surface and hold the phone steady through the 15-second measurement window.
• Cover the camera completely: press gently with your fingertip. Too much pressure can change the signal; adjust pressure or lighting if the quality message says it is weak or saturated.