The RfR-app is a tool for validating the primary effect of Reflective Exercise (RE), a mind-body routine presented in the ebook Autonomic Intelligence: Pathway to the Pulsatile Self and Sustainable Health ( Click here ) and in the video Reflective Exercise in 8 Sessions: Discovering and Cultivating the Pulsatile Self. (click images below) The primary effect of RE is the "Reflective Response" (RfR). The RfR-app captures the RfR as a significant increase in an autonomic cardiovascular signal known as the low-to-high heart rate variability (LF/HF HRV) ratio. A growing body of respected medical research has tied significant increases in the LF/HF HRV ratio to good health in general and enhanced immune function in particular. RE practitioners who regularly experience the RfR not only enjoy better health but also have the ability to sense, channel, and focus their immune system's inflammatory response on disease, injury, and stress.

The RfR-app collects a user’s personal photoplethysmogram.  To accomplish this, the app requires the use of the camera and flash utility of the device to operate. A video is recorded using the camera, but the video is not displayed to the user. The red pixel intensity of each video frame is collected and is displayed in real time to the user. At the end of the recording, the user’s personal photoplethysmogram, along with values calculated from this data, are stored in text files onto the device’s storage. This data can be viewed by the user at a later time and can also be deleted by the user, removing any access to the data via the app and deleting the text file of data. Personal information, including device ID, contacts, and addresses, are not collected. A user’s personal photoplethysmogram is collected but only exists on the user’s phone, and is not shared with any other party.


All content on the RfR-app is for informational purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.