Capturing heart sounds and transforming them into rhythm insights

Using acoustic heart signals and signal processing to observe cardiac rhythm with a smartphone.

Modern smartphones contain powerful sensors, processors, and microphones. With the right approach, these everyday devices can become instruments capable of observing subtle physiological signals.

Cardiomic was created with this idea in mind: transforming a smartphone into a tool capable of capturing and analyzing the rhythm of the heart.

Instead of relying on external wearables, Cardiomic uses the phone’s microphone to capture the acoustic vibrations produced by each heartbeat.

Listening to the heart

Every heartbeat produces mechanical and acoustic events inside the chest. When heart valves close, they generate vibrations that propagate through the surrounding tissues.

Doctors traditionally observe these sounds using a stethoscope. Cardiomic applies a similar principle, allowing the smartphone microphone to detect these subtle vibrations when the device is placed close to the chest.

The resulting signal resembles what physiologists call a phonocardiogram — a graphical representation of heart sounds over time.

From sound to heart rhythm

Capturing the sound of the heart is only the first step. Once recorded, the signal must be analyzed to determine when each heartbeat occurs.

Cardiomic processes the acoustic signal to detect rhythmic peaks corresponding to heartbeats. From this information, the system can estimate key metrics such as:

Heart rate (beats per minute)
RR intervals — the time between consecutive beats
Patterns of rhythm stability and variability

These measurements form the foundation for deeper analysis of heart rhythm behavior during a recording session.

A digital instrument for observing physiological signals

Cardiomic was designed with a simple philosophy: modern technology can make physiological observation more accessible.

By combining signal capture, computational analysis, and visual interpretation, the application allows users to explore patterns that normally remain hidden within raw biological signals.

The goal is not to replace medical equipment, but to offer a practical way to observe heart rhythm dynamics in everyday life.

Why this approach matters

Traditional heart monitoring systems often require specialized devices or clinical environments. Smartphones, however, are widely available and already contain many of the components needed to capture physiological signals.

By leveraging these built-in sensors, Cardiomic lowers the barrier to observing heart rhythm patterns.

This creates a new possibility: allowing people to explore their own physiological signals through a device they already carry every day.

An instrument for observing the heart

Throughout the history of science, instruments have changed the way humans observe the world — telescopes revealed the structure of the universe, microscopes revealed the existence of microorganisms.

In a similar spirit, Cardiomic explores how everyday technology can become a tool for observing physiological signals that are normally invisible.