Wearable heart rate monitor

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1

Hi,

My kids in middle school decided to work on a project that involves a heart rate monitor. Your website recommends LilyPad Arduino product line. Could you please provide some advice on what I would need to purchase to have a functional wearable heart rate monitor that uses LEDs and any instructions that they can use to put the parts together.

Thanks an look forward to hearing from you soon.

2

Hi ndugup, and thanks for writing.

We don’t carry a sensor that would easily connect to a wearable board like a LilyPad, but the Pulse Sensor can easily connect to a board like the Arduino Uno or a SparkFun RedBoard. You might be able to attach those to clothing somehow and make your project that way.

I’d start with the following:

  • - [[SparkFun RedBoard](https://www.sparkfun.com/products/15123) (The 'Brain' that reads the Pulse Sensor)
  • - [[Pulse Sensor](https://www.sparkfun.com/products/11574) (Senses your pulse/heart rate)
  • - [[4x AA battery pack](https://www.sparkfun.com/products/9835) (To make this portable later on)
    • [/list]

    Those parts and some sample code will allow you to view a graph on your computer screen of blood flow detected by the pulse sensor and the code will also light up a LED on the RedBoard when a heartbeat is detected. There’s some [sample code here to get you started.

    Hope this helps!](GitHub - WorldFamousElectronics/PulseSensorStarterProject: The Best Way to Get Started with your PulseSensor and Arduino)](https://www.sparkfun.com/products/9835)](Pulse Sensor - SEN-11574 - SparkFun Electronics)](SparkFun RedBoard Qwiic - DEV-15123 - SparkFun Electronics)

    3

    Thank you very much Chris for your advice. Would I need to get the LED or does it come already with the RedBoard…please let me know if there is anything else such as cables, connectors, etc that are required as I am trying to make sure I get everything that I need in one transaction.

    Kind regards,

    Pandy

    4

    Hi Pandy.

    There’s a LED already on the RedBoard that will light up for you but you could add external LEDs if you wish.

    The only cable you will need is a micro USB data cable to connect the RedBoard to your computer for programming. Our part number [CAB-10215 will work if you don’t already have one.](USB Micro-B Cable - 6 Foot - CAB-10215 - SparkFun Electronics)