The beating of the heart holds the key to a myriad of physiological questions that are of interest to researchers. The measured variation in time intervals between consecutive heartbeats, otherwise known as Heart Rate Variability (HRV), provides valuable insights into the activity of the autonomic nervous system, reflecting the balance between sympathetic and parasympathetic influences […] The post A Heartbeat Away: HRV Unlocks Autonomic Insights appeared first on BIOPAC Blog ..read more

Every athlete seeks the winning formula that will make them more competitive. Add coaches, trainers, weekend warriors, and everyday health enthusiasts to the mix, all looking for an edge to improve fitness, shorten recovery times, and avoid injuries. Exercise physiology plays a key role in gaining such advantages and insights. Exercise physiology encompasses the scientific […] The post Faster, Stronger, Further—Unlocking the Body’s Potential with Exercise Physiology appeared first on BIOPAC Blog ..read more

Freed from the limitations of stationary eye tracking technology, mobile eye tracking enables researchers to study their subjects while they perform a wide range of immersive tasks in natural settings. The post Eye-Catching: Mobile Tech Enhances Immersive Experiments appeared first on BIOPAC Blog ..read more

Two college wrestlers square off on the mat awaiting the signal that will begin their match. To the casual observer, the outcome seems impossible to predict. Their coach, however, knows one competitor has a clear advantage—a heart rate variability level (HRV) that is higher than his opponent’s. Examining HRV data provides more than insight into […] The post Balancing Act: HRV Provides Critical Marker for Psychophysiological Health appeared first on BIOPAC Blog ..read more

Once relegated to tightly controlled lab environments where electrode-laden participants were observed at close quarters, researchers are now able to extend the lab into the everyday environment over nearly limitless distances. Top quality physiological data can be acquired from untethered subjects performing tasks ranging from sleeping comfortably in their own beds to engaging in high-impact […] The post Meet Them Where They Are—Portable Wireless Solutions appeared first on BIOPAC Blog ..read more

Everyone has experienced showing up at the doctor’s office and being tasked with sitting very still while vital signs are taken. You sit almost trance-like, concentrating on slowing your heartbeat, willing your blood pressure down, avoiding any sudden movement that might affect the signals being monitored for posterity. It’s quite another matter when body signals […] The post Exercise Physiology – Pulling Out All the Stops appeared first on BIOPAC Blog ..read more

Advancements in the engineering of data acquisition components have closely paralleled the microchip revolution. Ever-smaller form factors available in wireless transmission formats have resulted in a boon for researchers wishing to collect high-quality physiological data from participants in unfettered environments undreamed of a few years ago. One of the linchpins of these cutting-edge systems is […] The post Small and Smaller – Untethered and Unfettered appeared first on BIOPAC Blog ..read more

Fatigue is a troublemaker--it can have serious impacts on data quality, even when using gold standards of measurement. The post The Trouble with Fatigue appeared first on BIOPAC Blog ..read more