Device and method for providing feedback on breathing rate

1. A device comprising:

a sensor interface configured to receive an electrocardiogram ECG signal;

an ECG analysis unit configured to obtain a breathing rate from the received ECG signal;

a feedback output mechanism for providing audio and/or visual feedback;

a feedback generator configured to obtain an optimal breathing rate in accordance with a desired outcome and one or more heart rate and/or breathing rate characteristics detected from the ECG signal, control the feedback output mechanism to output audio and/or visual feedback synchronised to the optimal breathing rate, and subsequently adapt the audio and/or visual feedback in accordance with changes in the one or more heart rate and/or breathing rate characteristics while the audio and/or visual feedback is being outputted; and

an abnormality detection mechanism configured to detect one or more predefined abnormalities by detecting a deviation in at least one of the one or more heart rate and/or breathing rate characteristics from a baseline for the user, and to signal a detected abnormality to the feedback generator,

wherein the feedback generator is further configured to obtain the optimal breathing rate in accordance with the detected abnormality, determine whether the user has achieved the optimal breathing rate, and to recalculate the optimal breathing rate in response to a determination that the user has not achieved the optimal breathing rate.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the feedback generator is configured to generate a feedback control signal having values ranging from a first limit to a second limit, the first limit corresponding to a defined point in an exhalation phase and the second limit corresponding to a defined point in an inhalation phase, and

wherein the feedback output mechanism is configured to provide the audio and/or visual feedback in accordance with the feedback control signal.

3. The device of claim 2 , wherein the feedback generator is configured to:

obtain a first filtered signal by applying a moving average filter with a first time window to the received ECG signal;

obtain a second filtered signal by applying a moving average filter with a second time window to the received ECG signal, the second time window being longer than the first time window;

obtain a difference signal by subtracting the second filtered signal from the first filtered signal;

determine a maximum value and a minimum value of the difference signal within a third time window;

normalise the difference signal relative to the control signal based on the determined maximum and minimum values, to obtain a normalised signal having values ranging from the first limit of the control signal to the second limit of the control signal; and

obtain a performance metric based on a correlation between the normalised signal and the control signal, where the performance metric is related to how closely the breathing rate detected from the ECG signal is matched to the optimal breathing rate.

4. The device of claim 3 , wherein the first time window is substantially equal to 3 seconds, and/or the second time window is substantially equal to 17 seconds.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the audio and/or visual feedback is configured to include cues for instructing a user when to inhale and when to exhale, in accordance with the determined optimal breathing rate.

6. The device of claim 1 , further comprising:

a network interface for communicating with one or more other devices over a network,

wherein the abnormality detection mechanism is configured to detect the one or more predefined abnormalities by transmitting the ECG signal to a diagnostic server via the network interface and receiving a diagnostic result indicating whether any of the predefined abnormalities were detected in the ECG signal.

7. The device of claim 1 , further comprising:

a network interface for communicating with one or more other devices over a network,

wherein the ECG analysis unit is configured to obtain the breathing rate by transmitting the ECG signal to a server via the network interface, and receiving a message containing the detected breathing rate via the network interface, and/or

wherein the feedback generator is configured to obtain the optimal breathing rate by querying a server via the network interface.

8. The device of claim 1 , wherein the feedback output mechanism comprises:

a plurality of light sources distributed across the device, the plurality of light sources being controllable to emit visible light of different wavelengths in accordance with the generated audio and/or visual feedback.

9. The device of claim 1 , wherein the feedback output mechanism comprises:

a speaker for outputting an audio component of the generated audio and/or visual feedback, and

wherein the feedback generator is further configured to control the speaker to provide haptic feedback in the form of low-frequency audio.

10. The device of claim 1 , configured to be held and supported by a user, wherein the sensor interface comprises:

first and second electrocardiographic electrodes disposed on a surface of the device, the first and second electrocardiographic electrodes being arranged to detect the ECG signal when the device is held by the user.

11. The device of claim 10 , further comprising:

a third electrocardiographic electrode arranged to contact both hands when the device is being held by the user,

wherein the ECG analysis unit is configured to measure a reference potential from the third electrocardiographic electrode when receiving the ECG signal through the first and second electrocardiographic electrodes.

12. The device of claim 1 , wherein the ECG analysis unit is configured to determine the breathing rate as being equal to a variation in peak amplitude of a pulse detected from the ECG signal.

13. A method comprising:

receiving an electrocardiogram ECG signal;

obtaining a breathing rate from the received ECG signal;

detecting one or more predefined abnormalities by detecting a deviation from a baseline for the user in one or more heart rate and/or breathing rate characteristics detected from the ECG signal;

obtaining an optimal breathing rate in accordance with the detected abnormality, a desired outcome, and the one or more heart rate and/or breathing rate characteristics detected from the ECG signal;

controlling a feedback output mechanism to output audio and/or visual feedback synchronised to the optimal breathing rate;

subsequently adapting the audio and/or visual feedback in accordance with changes in the one or more heart rate and/or breathing rate characteristics while the audio and/or visual feedback is being outputted;

determining whether the user has achieved the optimal breathing rate; and

recalculating the optimal breathing rate in response to a determination that the user has not achieved the optimal breathing rate.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium on which is stored computer program instructions which, when executed, perform the method according to claim 13 .