Frequently Asked Questions

If you are not able to find the answer to your question here, please take a look through our Troubleshooting Guide or contact LifeQ Help

General

No. For the purpose of this pilot, LifeQ developed custom firmware and tools with which the LifeQ enabled Garmin vívosmart© HR will interact. By connecting your device to the GarminConnect App, you will receive Garmin firmware updates which will reduce the functionality of your LifeQ enabled device. We therefore recommend that you do not connect to any of the standard Garmin tools for the duration of the pilot.

After the completion of the pilot, the vívosmart HR will be reverted to Garmin firmware, and you will now be able to link it to GarminConnect.

vívosmart HR

On which wrist should I wear my device?

Your device should be worn on your non-dominant wrist.

Can I swim/shower with my device?

Yes, you can swim and shower while wearing the device. The vívosmart HR has a water resistance rating of 5 ATM and is able to withstand a water depth of 50m.

Please avoid pressing the device key while under water.

How do I use my Touch screen?

Swipe left or right across the screen to scroll through features and data screens.

Tap to select or view additional details.

If your surroundings are too dark to see the screen, tap the screen and the backlight will activate for approximately 5 seconds.

How long does the battery last?

The battery should last approximately 48 hours while monitoring.

The vívosmart HR device currently samples HRcontinuously - which means that the battery becomes drained relatively quickly. Maximum expected battery life on a single full charge is 48 hours. Please note that a full charge (i.e. battery depleted to fully charged) requires a 70 min charge if performed via PC USB. Once a charging routine has been established, the battery life should not vary significantly.

What factors affect my battery capacity?

  1. Blood perfusion: The lower the blood perfusion in the skin, the brighter the LEDs have to shine to get reliable PPG-signals, causing the battery to drain. Poor perfusion of the skin is typically associated with low ambient temperatures (where the body withdraws blood from the peripheries), low blood pressure (which means less blood pushing through peripheral tissue) and other factors such as skin tone.

  2. Movement: The more energetic and aggressive movement the user is engaged in, the more the optical signal obtained through the sensor is distorted (due to motion artifacts), and the more aggressive signal processing needs to be performed to remove the motion artifacts.

  3. Incremental charges may result in shorter battery life.

How do I know how much battery and memory is available on my device?

From the Time and Date screen, swipe from left to right until you see the battery and storage screen. This screen indicates the amount of battery and storage that is still available on the device.

How do I clear my device?

Upon connecting your device to the LifeQ Exchange App, the stored sessions will automatically be uploaded and cleared from the device. The memory on the device will now be completely empty, allowing you to continue collecting data for the remainder of the day.

How do I improve my signal?

In the event that the signal displayed on the LifeQ screen is poor or null, tighten the strap for a more secure fit, however, ensure that the fit is not uncomfortable. Wearing the device slightly higher on your wrist may also improve your signal quality.

LifeQ screen

SLEEP ANNOTATION

Do I need to exit sleep mode when I go to the toilet during the night?

No. Please remain in sleep mode when using the toilet during the night.

Do I exit sleep mode when I can't fall asleep?

As long as you are trying to sleep please keep your device in sleep mode. If you decide to get up and do something else (i.e. Read a book/watch TV) until you get tired again, please exit sleep mode and start it again when you are ready to sleep.

What if I forget to start the sleep mode?

Forgetting to initiate the sleep mode on your device will not affect your sleep analysis available through the LifeQ User Portal. The only implication at this point in time is that the additional contextual data we need for developing more valuable sleep products for future deployment will not be recorded.

I forgot to end the sleep session until after I got up. What do I do now?

Just exit the sleep session as soon as you remember. This will not affect your sleep analysis available through the LifeQ User Portal.

What if I don't want to use the Sleep Annotation/sleep mode feature?

You are under no obligation to use the Sleep Annotation functionality and your sleep analysis will remain unaffected and available on the LifeQ User Portal. The only implication at this point in time is that the contextual data we need for developing more valuable sleep products for people to use in future will not be recorded.

VO2 SUB-MAX

What does your VO2 Sub-Max result mean?

VO2 Sub-Max is the most commonly used measure for assessing cardiorespiratory fitness. The result displayed on the device screen after performing your LifeQ VO2 Sub-Max test is your absolute VO2 max score (L/min). To assess your cardiorespiratory fitness level, you may want to compare your VO2 max score to typical VO2 max scores of individuals in your age and gender group (see the table below).

For an accurate comparison, you should use your relative VO2 max score, which also takes your weight into account. Convert your absolute VO2 max score (L/min) to your relative VO2 max score (ml/kg/min) using the formula below:

VO2max calculation

Typical relative VO2 max scores:

Age Group Male Female
20-29 54.4 ± 8.4 43 ± 7.7
30-39 49.1 ± .5 40.0 ± 6.8
40-49 47.2 ± 7.7 38.4 ±6.9
50-59 42.6 ± 7.4 34.4 ± 5.7
60-69 39.2 ± 6.7 31.1 ± 4.4
+70 35.3 ± 6.5 28.3 ± 5.2

LifeQ User Portal

PASSWORD

What are the password requirements?

Your password must consist of at least 8 characters, including 1 uppercase letter and 1 number.

Can I change my password at a later stage?

Yes, you can change your password at a later stage as follows:

  1. Log into the LifeQ User Portal
  2. Open the LifeQ menu in the top left corner of the screen and select Your Profile
  3. Select Your Account
  4. Change your password and select Save

OR go directly to your account via pilot.userportal.lifeq.com/account

I forgot my password, how do I reset it?

If you forget your LifeQ password while logging in to the User Portal, simply select ‘FORGOT PASSWORD?’ to request a password reset. An email containing a link to reset your password will be sent to the email address you used when registering on the LifeQ User Portal.

Please Note: This link is only valid for 24 hours

USER PROFILE

Can I update my User Profile at a later stage?

Yes, your User Profile can be updated on the User Portal as follows:

  1. Open the LifeQ Exchange App as a window
  2. Select the drop down arrow in the top right corner of the window
  3. Select Update Profile
  4. If you are not already logged into the LifeQ User Portal, please log in to continue

OR go directly to your User Profile via pilot.userportal.lifeq.com/profile

VERY IMPORTANT! Once you have updated your user profile, reconnect your device to the LifeQ Exchange App in order to link your updated profile to your device

Which email address am I logged in with?

While logged into the User Portal, open the LifeQ menu in the top left corner of the screen and select Your Profile. Select Your Account to view your account details.

OR go directly to your account via pilot.userportal.lifeq.com/account

How do I determine my Body Fat Percentage when setting up my profile?

Body Fat percentage is the amount of fat mass (%) that constitutes your overall body mass. The gold standard method to determine your Body Fat Percentage is through Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). A ‘skin fold’ test is a less accurate method that can be used as a cheaper alternative to DEXA. If you do not know your Body Fat Percentage, populate this field with the default value provided.

How do I determine my VO2max when setting up my profile?

VO2max is the maximal amount of oxygen (L/min or ml/kg/min) your body can consume and is an important indicator of your cardio-respiratory fitness. Your VO2max can be determined by performing a Maximal Exercise Capacity Test (also known as a VO2max test). If you do not know your VO2max, please populate this field with the default value provided.

How do I convert VO2 from ml/kg/min to L/min?

Simply multiply the ml/kg/min value by your weight, then divide by 1000.

How do I determine my Resting Heart Rate when setting up my profile?

Resting Heart Rate (RHR) is the number of times your heart beats per minute (bpm) while at complete rest. If you do not know your RHR, use a heart rate monitor mobile application (such as Instant Heart Rate Monitor) in order to determine your RHR. Alternatively, populate this field with the default value provided.

You can also determine a more accurate RHR after wearing the vívosmart HR for a few days as follows:

  1. In the LifeQ User Portal, navigate to Your Report
  2. Select the VITALS icon
  3. Take note of the Average Resting Heart Rate value displayed on the screen
  4. Update your user profile with this value in Your Profile and select saved

Please Note: Once you have updated your user profile, reconnect your device to the LifeQ Exchange App in order to link your updated profile to your device

How do I determine my Maximum Heart Rate when setting up my profile?

Maximum Heart Rate (HRmax) is the highest number of bpm that your heart can reach during maximum physical exertion. If you do not know your HRmax, populate this field with the default value provided. Alternatively, HRmax can be calculated by subtracting your age from 220.

LifeQ Exchange App

Where do I find the LifeQ Exchange App on my laptop?

If the Exchange App wont open on your computer, it is possible that it is already running in the background. To access your application:

Upon Installation Subsequently
Mac Open Applications in your Finder. Right click on the lifeq-exchange application and select Open If the LifeQ Exchange is already open on your computer, click on the LifeQ Exchange App icon in the status bar running across the top of your screen and select Open as Window
Windows Click on the Start button and search for LifeQ Exchange. Right click on the lifeq-exchange application and select Run as Administrator If the LifeQ Exchange is already open on your computer, open the Notification Area in the bottom right corner of your screen and click the LifeQ Exchange App icon. Select Open as Window

UPLOADS

Do I need to switch the vívosmart HR off when connecting it to a computer?

No. There is no need to switch the device off. The device will stop sampling as soon as it is connected to the computer.

How do I know if my data is busy uploading?

In order for your data to be uploaded to the LifeQ cloud, the Exchange App must be running on your computer.

Once you have connected your device to your LifeQ Exchange App, a popup message will appear on your desktop informing you that the device is syncing. The LifeQ Exchange will go through the process of downloading the data from your device and then uploading it to the LifeQ cloud. If you are unsure whether the upload is still in progress, open the LifeQ Exchange App as a window and observe the progress bar at the bottom of the window.

How much internet will the upload use?

An average of 1MB of data is stored on your device for every hour that the HR monitor is on. Uploading long sessions via the LifeQ Exchange App may therefore use a lot of internet. If you are concerned about the amount of internet data uploads will use, select Pause future uploads from the dropdown menu to disable automatic uploads. Remember to resume the upload when your internet connection is more stable by selecting Data upload paused

Why do I need to upload logs?

The logs generated from the LifeQ Exchange App provide the Support team with insight into any issues that may be experienced by the application.

In the event that you are experiencing problems with your device or LifeQ Exchange App, you may be asked by the LifeQ Support team to upload your log files. To do this:

  1. Open the LifeQ Exchange App

  2. Select the dropdown menu in the top right corner of the Exchange App window

  3. Select 'About' and then ‘Upload Logs’

  4. Wait for a popup message to appear

  5. Please quote the log ID in this popup message to the support team at help@lifeq.com

Please include as much information as possible on the issue that you are experiencing along with the log ID to best equip the support team to resolve your issue.

UPDATES

After an update, my device gets stuck on the Garmin screen. How do I get past this?

It may take longer than expected for an update to run on the device. Please be patient and wait until the Garmin screen disappears from the device screen. The device will start functioning normally in due course.

Visualizing Data

How long does it take for data to be available on the LifeQ User Portal Report?

Data can be visualized on the Your Report section of the LifeQ User Portal within an hour of uploading it.

Please see the troubleshooting tips on visualising your data here

Why is there a discrepancy between the steps displayed on the device and those on my report?

Steps currently displayed on the device is determined by the device accelerometer which calculates steps from the movement of the device. If you are not wearing the device but the device is powered on and is being carried around with you (in a bag or pocket), any movements that the device detects may be misinterpreted and displayed on-device as steps.

Steps are however only recorded when the device sensor is in-session, i.e. when the device detects skin contact and the heart rate is shown on the device screen. It is the recorded steps, not displayed steps, that are reported on the LifeQ User Portal.

A discrepancy may therefore be detected between the steps displayed on the device and those recorded in the LifeQ cloud.