Welcome

I'm starting this blog to document the progress of a project that I thought of a few months ago: the heart rate monitor vest. The basic idea is that there is an arrangement of LEDs sewn in to the vest that change based on the user's heart rate. Maybe a slow pulse and cool colors for a slow heart rate and faster, warmer colors for a higher rate. I have all sorts of ideas for accessories, but for now I just want to get a prototype running.


I think that the electronics for this project are not going to be too difficult. Sparkfun Electronics here in Boulder has all kinds of cool stuff that should make this project easier including the LilyPad system of easily sewable circuitry. Also, I'll be using an Arduino controller as the brain and a 7-segment display  to output the user's heart rate in beats per minute. I just ordered a shirt with a built-in heart rate sensor/transmitter from NuMetrex. Sparkfun sells a heart rate monitor interface that can pick up the signal from the shirt.