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Kubios HRV Scientific is our full-featured HRV analysis software designed for research and professional use. Kubios HRV Scientific 4.0 was released on 30th Sep 2022 and replaced the Kubios HRV Premium software. What’s new in Kubios HRV Scientific compared to Kubios HRV Premium 3.5:

• Support for Kubios HRV mobile app measurements. The custom measurement mode of the mobile app offers an easy and cost-effective solution for recording scientifically valid HRV data. The app supports Bluetooth HR sensors providing beat-to-beat RR data, but when used together with Polar Sensors (H10 or Verity Sense) also raw ECG, PPG, and acceleration data can be recorded. Kubios HRV Scientific license enables you to store and access your custom measurement data.
• ANS function analysis including Valsalva ratio, HR response to deep breathing, 30:15 ratio for head-up tilt, etc. (read more)
• Training data analysis providing detailed information on cardiorespiratory function, training effect, metabolic rate and heart rate recovery (read more).
• ECG waveform analysis including a wide range of commonly used ECG waveform metrics such as QRS complex duration, QT and QTc interval times, and P, Q, R, S, and T wave amplitudes (read more).
• Support for small animal HRV data, current version supports mice, rat and pig ECG and HRV recordings.

More information available at the product page: https://www.kubios.com/hrv-scientific/

Kubios HRV Scientific license is a 1-year subscription license, which allows you to use Kubios HRV Scientific on one computer (one active session at a time). When you purchase the software, you will receive a license key. In order to use the software, you need to log in with a Kubios account and activate the software using the license key, which will link your Kubios user account with the license. The custom measurement mode of the Kubios HRV mobile app is also enabled for the licensed user (one active custom measurement session allowed at a time).

Please note that we do also provide the following license types for Kubios HRV Scientific:

• Group measurement license. Measure 10 or more participants simultaneously using the Kubios HRV mobile app and analyze all your recordings in Kubios HRV Scientific.
• Classroom license. For educational organizations to use a single license key in the entire classroom with 10 or more computers.
• Multi-year licenses. In addition to the default 1-year subscription period, we can also offer 2-year and 3-year subscriptions for Kubios HRV Scientific.

Please contact our sales team (sales@kubios.com) for pricing information or personalized quote.

You need a Kubios user account in order to use Kubios HRV Scientific. When you start the software for the first time, you need to login with a Kubios user account. If you don’t have a Kubios user account yet, you can register an account from the login screen. If you already have a license to Kubios HRV Scientific, you will be able to use the software after logging in. If you have purchased a license but the license has not been linked to your user account yet, you need to activate the software with the license key. The activation will link the license to your user account. Note that activation of Kubios HRV Scientific will also give you access to the custom measurement feature of Kubios HRV mobile application (you can store and access your measurements).

Kubios HRV Scientific is a subscription license, with the subscription starting on the order creation date. The standard subscription period is one year, but we also offer the option for extended subscriptions of two or three years upon request (please inquire about a quote or custom order link from sales@kubios.com).

When you purchase a license, you have the choice to store your payment information, enabling automatic annual renewal of your subscription. Rest assured that you will receive email notifications prior to any renewal charges, and you can cancel your subscription at any time to prevent further charges.

If you opt not to store your payment information, manual renewal will be necessary. You’ll receive email reminders as your subscription expiration date approaches. Failure to manually renew your subscription in a timely manner will result in deactivation of both the subscription and the license. Deactivated subscriptions cannot be reactivated.

To manage your Kubios HRV subscription(s), please log into your Subscription Management Portal.

The custom measurement mode of the Kubios HRV app is designed for researchers and professionals for performing different kinds of HRV measurements. Kubios HRV app utilizes Polar SDK, and therefore, we recommend you use the app together with the following sensors:

• Polar H10 – A chest strap HR sensor by which you will be able to record accurate beat-to-beat RR interval data, but also raw ECG and acceleration data.
• Polar Verity Sense – An optical armband HR sensor by which you will be able to record beat-to-beat pulse intervals (PPI), but also raw PPG waveform and acceleration data.

For more information about measuring with Kubios HRV app, please see this video tutorial. The app is available in Google Play and AppStore, but for longer-term HRV measurements we recommend using Android devices.

By default, the Kubios HRV Scientific license enables you to use the software on one computer at a time (one active desktop session) and make one custom measurement with the Kubios HRV mobile app at a time (one active custom measurement session).

If you need to conduct multiple simultaneous recordings using the Kubios HRV mobile app, we recommend our Kubios HRV Scientific Group Measurement license. This license allows for multiple active sessions on the Kubios HRV mobile app. The Group Measurement license functions in the same way as a regular license, with the only difference being the number of active sessions permitted within the Kubios mobile application.

For clarity, please note that each active measurement requires one phone and one HR sensor. For instance, conducting 30 simultaneous measurements would necessitate 30 phones and 30 sensors. Additionally, ensure that you log in to the app with the same Kubios user account used for logging in to the Scientific software.

To distinguish which measurement corresponds to each subject, we recommend utilizing the measurement subjects feature within the custom measurement mode.

For pricing information or a personalized quote, please reach out to our sales team at sales@kubios.com.

Kubios HRV Scientific Lite, formerly known as Kubios HRV Standard, is a free HRV analysis software for academic research or personal use.  While the Lite version is perfect to start your HRV exploration, you should understand that it has limited functionality (compared to the full version) and you may use it only for non-commercial purposes. For details regarding how the Lite version differs from the Full version, see Lite vs. Full version.

Starting with certain models introduced in late 2020, Apple began the transition from Intel processors to Apple silicon in Mac computers. As a result, we offer two different macOS installers on our download page: one for Mac computers with Apple silicon and the other for Intel-based Mac computers. If you encounter issues running the Kubios HRV Scientific installer on your Mac, please ensure that you have downloaded the correct installer (note that the Apple silicon installer is not compatible with Intel-based Mac computers).

If you are unsure about whether your Mac is equipped with Apple silicon or an Intel processor, you can verify this information in the “About This Mac” dialog. On Mac computers with Apple silicon, “About This Mac” displays an item labeled “Chip”, followed by the name of the chip (e.g., “Apple M2 Pro”). On Mac computers with an Intel processor, “About This Mac” shows an item labeled “Processor”, followed by the name of an Intel processor.

When you install Kubios HRV Scientific into a Mac computer using Apple silicon, you also need to install Amazon Corretto 8 (which is a Java runtime required to run the software). Kubios HRV Scientific installer will remind you about this requirement and provides a link to download the required Java runtime.

If you didn’t complete the Java runtime installation when you installed Kubios HRV Scientific, you can download the Amazon Corretto 8 installer from: www.mathworks.com/support/requirements/apple-silicon.html.

Kubios HRV Scientific (ver. 4.1) runs in Windows (64-bit Win 10 or 11) and macOS (Monterey, Ventura, or Sonoma). Kubios HRV Scientific was developed using MATLAB (The MathWorks, Inc.) and was compiled to a deployable standalone application with the Matlab Compiler. When you install Kubios HRV Scientific into your Windows or Mac computer, the correct version of MATLAB Runtime (MCR) that is required for running Kubios HRV software, is also installed. In general, the system requirements for running Kubios HRV software are thereby similar to those of Matlab (see https://www.mathworks.com/support/sysreq/).

If you are not able to connect your Bluetooth HR sensor with the Kubios HRV app, please try the following steps:

• Make sure that you have allowed Kubios HRV app to use Location and that Location services are turned on in your phone. 
• If you are using a chest strap HR sensor, make sure to wear the strap around your chest to turn the sensor on. Moisten the electrodes if necessary.
• Make sure that the HR sensor is not connected to any other device or app. The sensor can be paired with several devices or apps at the same time, but typically the sensor can communicate only with one device or app at a time. 
• Unpair the HR sensor from your phone’s Bluetooth devices by going to Bluetooth connectivity, select your HR sensor (under paired devices) and choose Unpair. Open Kubios HRV app and try connecting to the sensor again.
• Clear Bluetooth cache. Go to Settings, Apps, select Bluetooth (you may need to choose Show System Processes), Storage and Clear cache. 

NOTE:  Kubios HRV app supports only Bluetooth (BLE) HR sensors, which measure and transmit beat-to-beat RR intervals to your phone. For example Apple watch and ANT+ sensors are not supported.

Kubios HRV app supports Bluetooth low energy (BLE) HR sensors, which measure and transmit beat-to-beat RR intervals to your phone. Since there are many HR sensors available in the market, we can not test them all and provide a complete list of compatible sensors. But you are welcome to check if your HR sensor can be connected to Kubios HRV app, even if it is not listed below.

In general, for accurate HRV analysis we recommend a chest strap HR sensor, which measures the electrical activity of the heart (i.e. electrocardiogram or ECG) and extracts RR interval values from it. Optical sensors, which are able to measure interbeat interval (IBI) data e.g. from the arm or finger, are convenient to use but their accuracy is not optimal. The beat detection inaccuracy in optical sensors is typically within ±5 ms, which may produce as high as  ±10 % errors in HRV parameters.

Recommended HR sensors:

• Polar H10 is a chest strap HR monitor which measures the electrical activity of the heart and provides reliable and accurate RR interval values. If you are using the Custom measurement feature, you will also have access to the raw ECG waveform and acceleration data from this sensor. 
• Polar Verity Sense is an optical armband HR sensor, which transmits IBI data to Kubios HRV app. If you are using the Custom measurement feature, you will also have access to the raw PPG waveform and acceleration data from this sensor. 

Other compatible HR sensors:

• Polar H7 (chest strap)
• CorSense by EliteHRV (optical sensor)
• Suunto Smart Belt (chest strap)
• Wahoo TICKR (chest strap)

Please note that Kubios HRV app does not at this time support ANT+ sensors.

Apple watch is not supported. Even though Apple advertises that the watch measures HRV, we cannot support the Apple watch because it does not transmit (in real time) RR intervals to third party applications.

The Kubios HRV app utilizes Polar SDK to enable advanced data streaming from Polar H10 and Polar Verity Sense sensors. Supported data streams include beat-to-beat RR intervals (RR), pulse-to-pulse intervals (PPI), electrocardiogram (ECG), photoplethysmogram (PPG), and acceleration (ACC) data. Below are key technical specifications for using these sensors with the Kubios HRV app:

Polar H10 specifications

• Battery type: CR 2025 (non-rechargeable)
• Battery lifetime: ~400 hours
• Online recording: RR, ECG (130 Hz), and Acceleration (50 Hz)
• Offline recording: RR data only, max 95,000 RR intervals (up to ~20 hours of normal daily living)

Polar Verity Sense specifications

• Battery type: Rechargeable
• Battery lifetime: ~20 hours
• Online recording: PPI, PPG (55 Hz), and Acceleration (52 Hz)
• Offline recording: PPI (up to ~20 hours) or PPG (up to 3-6 hours recommended)

The custom measurement mode in the Kubios HRV app runs in demo mode by default, which means that you can observe the data coming from your sensor but the data is not stored. In order to make custom measurements and store your measurement data in Kubios Cloud, you need a Kubios software license that supports this.

Kubios HRV mobile app measurements are supported in:

• Kubios HRV Scientific (www.kubios.com/hrv-scientific), a full featured HRV analysis software for scientific research and professional use. As a licensed user, you can use the custom measurement mode (1 active custom measurement session at a time) and sync your Kubios HRV app measurements into your computer using the Kubios Cloud Sync tool available in Kubios HRV Scientific.