Sympath

Understand your body's signals.

Real-time physiological data for research and discovery. Stream continuous, high-quality signals with visualization, recording, and export tools.

PPG Mode

Raw Mode

Our Mission

Continuous physiological monitoring outside specialized settings is still new, and what it might reveal about health and disease remains an open question. Answering that question requires data - high quality signals from real people, across real conditions.

We believe progress in the science and applications of continuous physiological monitoring depends on openness - in tools, in data, and in who gets to contribute. Sympath exists to provide open, affordable tools for researchers, clinicians, and individuals - and to build toward a new framework for participatory science - one in which more people have the ability to generate high-quality data and to contribute to something with the potential for wider impact.

Features

Research-grade tools.
Consumer simplicity.

Sympath connects to Health Canada licensed (MDL) and FDA cleared devices, giving you unprecedented access to raw physiological signals — no cloud required.

Continuous PPG waveform

Visualize raw PPG data in real time. Access the full waveform — not just summary stats — for every heartbeat.

Live metrics

SpO₂, pulse rate, and motion — all streaming live from your connected device.

Clinical event logger

Record important events — medication, activity, symptoms — with timestamped, user-defined codes.

CSV export

Export PPG recordings and clinical logs as CSV files. Bring your data into Python, R, MATLAB, or any research environment you use.

Local data storage

Nothing leaves your device without your explicit action. Your physiological data is stored locally.

Hardware

Available in fingertip and ring-form sensors, compatible devices are Health Canada licensed (MDL) and FDA cleared pulse oximeters.

How it works

Up and running in minutes.

No complex setup. No cloud accounts. Connect, visualize, record, and export.

01

Connect your device

Connect a Sympath-compatible pulse oximeter to your Android phone or tablet.

02

Visualize & record

Watch your PPG waveform, SpO₂, pulse, and motion data stream live. Start recording with one tap and log clinical events as they happen.

03

Export & analyse

Export your data as CSV files. PPG recordings and clinical event logs are stored independently, ready for your analysis pipeline.

Sympath PPG waveform screen showing live recording

Record PPG

Sympath clinical event logger screen

Log Clinical Events

Sympath files and export screen

Export Files

FAQ

Common questions.

Anything else? Reach out via the contact form below.

Sympath is built for researchers and expert consumers — anyone who wants access to high-quality raw physiological data rather than simplified summaries from consumer wearables.
Sympath-compatible devices are Viatom-branded pulse oximeters, manufactured by Shenzhen Viatom Technology Co. They are Health Canada licensed and FDA cleared. Two sensor options are available: fingertip sensors, which are economical and suited for shorter recording sessions, and ring sensors, designed for comfort during longer recordings. Both connect via Bluetooth to Android phones and tablets. To ensure compatibility and support, devices must be purchased through Sympath.
Yes — the clinical event logger works independently of any device connection. You can create and export clinical logs without a Sympath-compatible pulse oximeter connected, making it useful as a standalone timestamped event diary even outside of a PPG recording session.
Yes — completely. All recordings are stored locally on your device. Nothing is transmitted to our servers. You control your data entirely, and exports are initiated only by you.
PPG waveform data is recorded along with SpO₂, pulse rate, motion (accelerometer), perfusion index (PI), wear status, beat marker, and device battery level. Timestamped clinical event data may be logged contemporaneously in a separate file during PPG recordings. All files are exported in CSV format.
No — Sympath operates in two recording modes: PPG mode, which captures the processed waveform, and Raw mode, which captures the raw optical data (IR and Red channels). Only one mode can be active at a time. In both modes, clinical metrics including SpO₂, pulse rate, and motion are available, though their characteristics differ between modes. Clinical event logs can be recorded simultaneously with either mode.
The two modes differ in both waveform sampling rate and the frequency at which clinical metrics are reported. In PPG mode, the processed waveform is sampled at 125 Hz and clinical metrics (SpO₂, pulse rate, motion, and others) are reported at 4 Hz. In Raw mode, the optical data is sampled at 150 Hz and clinical metrics are reported at 1 Hz.
Sympath is planned for launch toward the end of 2026 or early 2027. Get in touch if you'd like to be notified when Sympath becomes available.
Contact

Get in touch.

Sympath is an independent Canadian health technology project, developed in the sunny Okanagan Valley of British Columbia. It was built by a practicing physician and data science enthusiast who, unable to find an affordable tool for her own projects, decided build one herself.

Questions? Comments? We'd love to hear from you.