Mindfield eSense RESPIRATION User manual

HANDBOOK
Instruction Manual | Biofeedback-Training | eSense-App | Electrodes
Version 2.3.6 | August 24, 2018
HANDBOOK
Instruction Manual | Biofeedback-Training | eSense-App
Version 4.2.8 | 13th of June, 2019
Please read these operating instructions carefully before using the
unit for the first time.

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Contents
Essential Functions of eSense Respiration............................................................................ 4
Standard scope..................................................................................................................... 6
General Information about Breathing and Breathing Training................................................ 7
Introduction to eSense Respiration........................................................................................ 8
Breath Measurement and Biofeedback Training.................................................................... 8
Operating Instructions for eSense Respiration..................................................................12
Training Procedure...............................................................................................................13
First Training Phase (observation and experimentation; determination of the actual state)
.........................................................................................................................................14
Second Training Phase (targeted biofeedback training based on the measured values)...16
Third Training Phase (provocation, relaxation and stress management)...........................18
Fourth Training Phase (transfer, and relaxation without feedback)....................................19
Features of the Mindfield eSense App..................................................................................20
General View....................................................................................................................22
Breathing aid ....................................................................................................................23
Survey (optional)...............................................................................................................24
Pie Chart (after the measurement)....................................................................................24
Explanation of the Individual Measured Values.................................................................25
General settings (overview) ..............................................................................................28
Archive (Overview) ...........................................................................................................31
Archive (single view).........................................................................................................33
Mark function....................................................................................................................35
Procedures.......................................................................................................................36
Procedures Settings .........................................................................................................36
Procedure Editor...............................................................................................................37
Add new module...............................................................................................................38

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Overview of the modules ..................................................................................................39
Meditations.......................................................................................................................42
Creation of an example-procedure....................................................................................42
Supported Android devices...............................................................................................43
Supported iOS devices.....................................................................................................44
New: Smart bulbs (optional)..............................................................................................45
Extension of the Cable of the eSense...................................................................................46
Troubleshooting Measuring Signal and Breathing Belt .........................................................46
EC Declaration of Conformity for Mindfield eSense Respiration...........................................47
Privacy policy.......................................................................................................................48
Transmission of Anonymous Usage Data and Crash Reports...........................................48
Contact.................................................................................................................................49
Your Notes...........................................................................................................................49

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Essential Functions of eSense Respiration
eSense Respiration is a breathing belt sensor that uses a smartphone/tablet and an
app to accurately measure your breathing. The sensor focuses on the feedback of
your breathing. eSense Respiration provides breathing training with biofeedback and
serves to improve your breathing pattern, your breathing duration, breathing depth
and thus your health! Breathing plays an important role in general well-being, and
breathing exercises are part of many relaxation techniques around the world.
The eSense Respiration with the eSense App offers you:
•A pressure sensor to record your breathing (breathing frequency, breathing
depth, breathing pattern; application always in connection with eSense skin
response, as a sensor cable)
•A stretch belt that is comfortable to wear, washable and durable
•Comfortable to wear over clothing
•Unlimited recording duration
•Unlimited number of sessions and users
•Extensive statistics for breath analysis
•Breathing aid for breathing training with freely adjustable intervals, auxiliary
tones and more
•Export of measurement data as a csv file with compatibility to other software
programs for further analysis
•Export of curves, diagrams and statistics as a PDF report
•To train and improve your breathing, the app offers a wealth of biofeedback
feedback:
oBar feedback
oCurve feedback
oVideo feedback (videos included and own videos freely selectable)
oMusic feedback (music included and own music freely selectable)
oTone feedback (change of pitch by the measured values)
oTactile feedback through vibration (only smartphones; tablets cannot
vibrate)
oFeedback through color changes of smart bulbs (Bluetooth bulb and
Philips Hue products are controllable)
•Set any number of markers during a recording
•Different, prefabricated training procedures are included in the app
•Free training according to your wishes with any biofeedback variant or several
at the same time
•Extensive in-app help and manuals

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•Regular app updates
•Possible combination with the eSense Pulse for heart rate variability
biofeedback with determination of the coherence between heartbeat and
respiration!

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Standard scope
Scope of delivery of the eSense Respiration:
- Mindfield® eSense Respiration Sensor incl. replacement spring
- Expansion strap
- eSense App from Mindfield (Apple App Store, Google Play or Amazon App Store)
- Detailed instructions for effective biofeedback training
Attention!
•To run eSense Respiration, you need an eSense Skin Response!
•eSense Respiration is an additional product to eSense Skin Response.
•eSense Skin Response is available in a package with eSense Respiration
at a reduced price.
•Users who already own eSense Skin Response can purchase eSense
Respiration as a supplement.
1: eSense Skin Response with eSense Respiration and Smartphone

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General Information about Breathing and Breathing
Training
Our state of mind is reflected in our breathing. If we are pleased or tense, we usually
breathe quickly, irregularly and flatly. Positive as well as negative stress is reflected in
this way. If, on the other hand, we are relaxed and calm or sleepy, our breathing is
usually slow, even and deep.
All in all: Conscious, slow, deep breathing, preferably into the stomach, leads to
a clear relaxation! We take advantage of this aspect.
Breathing has a special role in biofeedback in that we can consciously control this
parameter. In everyday life we rarely think of our breathing and breathe almost
exclusively unconsciously. If our unconscious breathing patterns are disturbed by
chronic stress, pain or other psychological or physical stresses, this often leads to
discomfort and the maintenance of stress.
With breathing training, you can train and improve your breathing, achieve deep
relaxation states and significantly increase your general well-being. Breathing
therefore plays an important role in almost all relaxation techniques such as autogenic
training, yoga, meditation and progressive muscle relaxation.
Direct biofeedback of breathing; i.e., real-time feedback of breathing pattern, depthand
frequency helps our consciousness to achieve new, better breathing patterns faster
and more precisely than without biofeedback. The focus on feedback prevents the
otherwise so frequent drift in thoughts and loss of concentration on breathing. Many
meditation techniques involve the observation of breathing, which is very difficult for
many beginners. Breathing biofeedback makes this entry much easier.
After a learning phase of some training sessions, respiratory biofeedback leads to a
new feeling of switching off and full focus on breathing, more and more without the
feedback of biofeedback, as a better self-perception is developed. In chapter "Training
sequence" the sequence of a respiratory biofeedback training program is described.
Follow this suggestion and develop your own routines and integrate breathing training
into your everyday life, first with and later without biofeedback.The eSense Respiration
is a powerful tool to help you breathe better.

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Introduction to eSense Respiration
Biofeedback breathing training with eSense Respiration is about observing your
breathing through changing bars, curves, music, sounds, vibrations, light from light
bulbs, and more. This gives your consciousness a new perspective on breathing, self-
perception is trained, and a feedback cycle is created.
But it is also about the change of the breathing, towards a slower, deep abdominal
breathing, which has many positive effects and can be trained by a breathing target in
our app.
We combine the measurement and feedback of breathing in the eSense App with
guided relaxation exercises, guided breathing exercises and meditation and offer you
a total experience beyond biofeedback. In addition to extensive feedback variants, you
can evaluate your measurements with many statistics, document your progress and
export the recordings as CSV and PDF files. Your data belongs only to you! You have
full access to the raw data.
Respiration is measured according to the principle of strain measurement. With every
breath, your chest and abdomen space will rise and fall, and the belt you put on over
your clothes willstretch slightly. You can put the eSense Respiration StretchBelt either
around the chest or around the abdomen. Abdominal breathing is measured and
trained more frequently. eSense Respiration has a spring that translates the pressure
of the belt into readings. The eSense Respiration Sensor is used for transmission to
your smartphone and tablet via its microphone input. Our eSense app evaluates these
signals and displays them in a comprehensive form.
Breath Measurement and Biofeedback Training
To reduce stress and its vegetative symptoms, biofeedback training can be performed
by monitoring and reporting your breathing. Frequently, feedback alone is enough
without specifications, and the user automatically breathes more calmly and
evenly.
In addition to this measurement and feedback, it is also possible to specify how the
user should breathe. The app includes a breathing aid for this purpose. A bar, line or
sphere changes by rising or zooming to symbolize inhalation. A falling of the beam or
lines, as well as a shrinking of the sphere shows an exhalation. The user follows this
guideline by breathing. The breathing target is freely adjustable regarding inhalation -
hold - exhale - hold.

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4: Breathing aid as a ball (right) with a measured breathing curve (left) and coherence
between breathing and curve
2: Adjustment options for breathing aid
(ball; line) and tones
3: Adjustment options for the breathing aid with
freely selectable times for inhalation, holding,
exhalation, holding and the resulting breaths per
minute

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Breathing can be used quite universally for biofeedback training. In stress medicine
and psychophysiology, respiratory biofeedback is used, for example, for depression,
heart disease, asthma, anxiety disorders and insomnia. Breathing biofeedback is also
common in coaching and competitive sports. Improving breathing patterns can help
relieve tensions, cope with stress and anxiety, and help you react more calmly in
everyday life. If you suffer from an illness, do not treat yourself; instead, consult a
therapist. eSense Respiration is not a medical device and may only be used for stress
reduction.
The eSense Respiration is a handy device. It can record respiration and display it as a
measurement curve, for example. Look at the following example of a measurement at
rest and with even, slow breathing:
As you can see in the example above, the curve is a distinct sine wave and the
amplitudes are very uniform. Such a waveform is desirable.
5: Sample measurement curve eSense Respiration at rest, with deep, slow and even
respiration (RA = Respiration Amplitude)

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The curve looks very different under requirements and with uneven breathing, as the
following figure shows:
6: Example of eSense Respiration curve for tension or requirements and
erratic, irregular, fast and shallow breathing.
In this example above, the curve is uneven, and the deflections are different.
In the eSense app, you can do a free training or complete predefined procedures. Your
breathing is reported back, and an increase (inhalation; belt expanding) changes
a feedback in a certain way, while a decrease (exhalation; belt contracting)
changes a feedback in a slightly different way.
As feedback there is; e.g., a video, which becomes brighter or sharper in the positive
case (darker or blurred in the negative case), a music, whose volume changes, tones,
which change in the sound, a vibration of the smartphone, and much more. Of interest
is the function of controlling a smart light bulb (Philips Hue or Magic Blue), whereby
breathing is reflected in the change in color and brightness of one or more lamps. You
can use your breathing to illuminate an entire room in different ways.
A biofeedback training session consists of four training phases. Plan about 60 to 90
minutes for the first session, during which you can do the training undisturbed and
coherently. Detailed instructions can be found in the chapter "Training sequence".

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Operating Instructions for eSense Respiration
Contents of the packaging:
- eSense Respiration Sensor Unit (black box with inserted spring + one
replacement spring to replace in case of defect of inserted spring)
- eSense Respiration Stretch Strap, variable length adjustable
- Printed guide
Remove the eSense from its packaging. Put on the expansion strap as shown and
adjust it to the correct length.
You can wear the belt either around the chest or around the abdomen. In most cases,
the measurement and training of deep abdominal breathing are useful.
The belt should sit quite loosely and
should not restrict you in any way! A small
amount of pressure on the spring of the
sensor unit is enough. After applying the
strap, slide the sensor unit under the
strap, connect the cables from the
eSense Skin Response to the sensor's
push button connectors, and plug the
other end of the eSense Skin Response
into the microphone input of your
smartphone or tablet. If your device no
longer has a microphone input, an
adapter may be required (e.g., for the
newer Apple iPhones/iPads). This is
available from the manufacturer and the
eSense works fine with it.

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Cleaning and Care
There are the following important instructions for cleaning and care:
•Do not wash the belt and sensor in the washing machine
or put them in the dryer.
•Before cleaning the belt, remove the sensor as
it is not washable.
•You can wash the strap byhand, but do not use water with a temperature above
30°C.
•Ironing, bleaching and heating must be avoided at all costs.
•Do not drop or use force against the sensor.
•Avoid exposing the sensor to high temperatures or sunlight.
•If the eSense Respiration is stored near freezing point, allow it to warm to room
temperature before next use.
•Do not attempt to open the sensor; the spring can be replaced without opening
the housing.
•To replace the spring, bend it slightly upwards with your fingers, then pull
it out to the front and push the replacement spring back in.
Training Procedure
1. Create favorable conditions: a quiet room (mobile phone, telephone, etc.
switched off), pleasant room temperature of 20-22°C, comfortable seating and
clothing. Strong physical activity before measurement should be avoided. To
obtain comparable measurements, you should always train under the same
conditions.
2. It is best to sit in a comfortable armchair for the first application. With some
experience, the application is also recommended when lying on the bed or a
comfortable surface. It is important that you maintain your position as far as
possible, otherwise you will have to readjust the belt.
3. Put on the stretch belt around your chest or belly as described in the previous
chapter and start the Mindfield eSense App. Select eSense Respiration from
the various eSense selection screens.
4. The belt should fit loosely over the clothing and should not slip during the
measurement. Probably, it is not possible to find the optimal setting right away.
This is quite normal. Above all, the belt should not give the feeling of tightening
when breathing. The spring in the sensor is very sensitive, so it is enough to put
on the belt only loosely, so that minimal pressure occurs.

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5. Rotate your smartphone or tablet to landscape so you can see the oscilloscope.
6. Now start a free measurement (simply press "Start" on the main screen) and
look at your breathing curve. Now it is a matter of finding an optimal setting for
the belt, where an expansion of your chest or abdomen leads directly to a force
transfer to the sensor and to a deflection of the measuring curve upwards. In
most cases, you will then move within a measuring range of 20 to 200.
7. Below 20 the belt is very loose, and you should not let the curve touch the zero
point of the Y-axis. If you have exhaled completely, a minimum pressure should
still be applied.
8. Over 150-200 the belt is too tight from our experience and the pressure is
unnecessarily strong. Loosen the belt slightly at the buckle without opening or
taking off the belt. Gain experience with an optimal attitude. The belt retains its
setting even for the next application.
9. Under no circumstances should you have the feeling that you are too restricted
and therefore restricted in your breathing.
10.The number of sessions required for reliable success is relatively small. Usually,
10 to 15 sessions is enough. As far as the duration of a session is concerned,
it depends on your ability to concentrate, but should not exceed 30 minutes. If
you are experiencing severe fatigue, the training should be shorter, and a higher
number of sessions should be chosen.
11.To get an optimal comparability of sessions, you can set the time for a
measurement in the settings of the eSense App and limit it to a value; e.g., 10
minutes. The measurement then stops automatically after the time has elapsed.
In the default setting of the eSense App, the measurement duration is unlimited.
It is recommended to set a time after the first experiments and to adjust the
settings to correspond to the desired, regular training duration. This way you will
get an optimal evaluation and comparability of your training sessions later.
First Training Phase (observation and experimentation;
determination of the actual state)
1. First, determine a ten-minute baseline (default state without influence) at rest.
Before doing this, you should have found the optimum setting for the breathing
belt, as described in the previous section. It always makes sense to compare
measurements of the same length, so use the option in the settings to set the

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session length to a fixed duration, so you do not have to stop at the right time.
Now set the session length to ten minutes.
2. Try to relax as much as possible and DO NOT observe the breathing curve
during these first ten minutes, as this would falsify the measurement.
3. Breathe calmly, deeply and evenly as you feel comfortable, but without forcing
your breathing! Follow pleasant thoughts and memories.
4. Hold your smartphone or tablet in landscape mode. Look at your breathing
curve after the first ten minutes. Were there sections of an even curve? Were
there strong fluctuations and irregularities? How do you rate your ability to relax
during the measurement? You may already be able to determine a connection
between the curve and the tension or relaxation you feel. If not, no problem—
this will follow. Good relaxation goes hand in hand with a slow and even
breathing curve. Distractions and irregular breathing affect an irregular curve.
5. After completion of the ten-minute baseline, you will first be shown a survey.
Answer the questions and take notes if necessary. You will then see two pie
charts. One shows you the number of breaths per minute and the other the
coherence between breathingand breathing target. Since you have not yet used
7: Example of a measurement curve of a 10-minute baseline
8: Display of pie diagrams after 10min Baseline

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the breathing target, this pie chart is unimportant. However, look at the chart of
breaths per minute and note the proportion of breaths that occurs most
frequently. You're probably still breathing orange and red, which is perfectly
normal. A training goal in respiratory biofeedback is to achieve a particularly
slow breathing rhythm with increasing difficulty.
6. This is now your initial training status. Of course, the respective day also plays
a role: It should make a difference whether you measure after a stressful
working day (or even during work) or at the end of a relaxed weekend. Use the
corresponding function of the app to export this baseline as a CSV file.
You can do this by calling up the measurement in the archive. So, you can
later (besides the archive) also access your baseline in other ways (e.g.,
in Excel). You can also export a PDF file of curves and statistics in the
archive.
7. One more hint: If the measured values are disturbed for no apparent reason,
the sensor was not positioned optimally. Check the breathing curve in another
measurement and again find the optimum setting for the stretch belt. Repeat
the baseline measurement.
Second Training Phase (targeted biofeedback training
based on the measured values)
1. The second training phase consists of several measurements, which should
always be carried out according to the scheme described below. You should
practice targeted relaxation with the help of feedback.
2. Start the measurement and observe your breathing curve for a while. The goal
now is to achieve an even, slow breathing curve. In the main screen of the app
in portrait format, you can see the breathing in the form of a bar. With every
breath the bar goes up and down. In landscape format, you can see your
breathing curve in the oscilloscope. If necessary, adjust the zoom control so that
breathing is clearly visible.

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Breathing as a curve and in bar form
3. Now try to achieve a state of passive observation and allowing breathing
through targeted relaxation and calm, even breathing. You can test different
feedback variants of the app and test relaxation techniques. At first you can also
consciously control your breathing (deep inhalation and exhalation). The device
gives you precise information about the resulting respiration. At a later stage,
our prefabricated breathing exercise is also discussed in the procedures of the
app.
4. Practice even breathing, including breathing aid if desired. You can configure
the breathing aid in the app settings. Start breathing training at your usual
breathing rate. This will in most cases be between 12 and 15 breaths per minute.
This is faster than quiet breathing during deep relaxation. However, it is easier
to start with your "normal" breathing first and then gradually slow down your
breathing pace to below ten breaths per minute. Set the inhalation and
exhalation times in the breathing target as desired. (For 15 breaths, set 2
seconds for inhalation time and 2 seconds for exhalation time, or 3 seconds for
inhalation and exhalation time if you want to achieve ten quiet breaths per
minute). It's soothing to exhale a little longer than to inhale.
5. Here is a possible example of a first exercise at 12 breaths per minute:

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2 seconds for inhalation and 3 seconds for exhalation (5 seconds per
breath/12 breaths per minute)
You can also set a hold time between inhalation and exhalation breaths.
However, we recommend setting this to 0 at the beginning (i.e., no holding time)
and experimenting with the holding time only during advanced training.
6. Train using the various biofeedback features the app offers. In landscape
format, you also have the breathing aid as a line. You have a freely selectable
video, which changes with breathing. In the settings, you can choose from
various options for video feedback. Use music and sounds that you can activate
in the settings. The individual feedback functions are all described in more detail
in the corresponding chapter of the app.
7. Use the supplied procedures! This allows you to get to know the different
functions of the app even better and to perform a standardized training. If you
like, create your own individual procedure with your favorite feedback variants.
Third Training Phase (provocation, relaxation and stress
management)
1. In the third training phase, stress stimuli are used even more specifically to train
stress management. Breathing biofeedback is well suited for the use of targeted
provocation methods, as it shows a timely and sensitive reaction to a stimulus,

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and since this reaction is also proportional to the strength and significance of
the stimulus.
2. Start the measurement and observe your breathing curve for a while. Then try
to relax. The training begins with a resting phase of a few minutes.
3. Now a stressor (stress stimulus) should be used specifically. Examples are
negative thoughts, looking at emotionally occupied pictures or objects as well
as unpleasant noises. As a rule, everyone knows things that put them in tension
and excitement. For example, if you do not like to speak in front of large crowds,
try to make a speech spontaneously or imagine this situation. If such a stressor
acts on you, observe the breathing curve, and you will probably notice a more
irregular, flatter curve. Then try to increase the amplitude again and make the
curve even again.
4. During a training session, you can alternate phases of relaxation and stressors
about three to four times. Always end a session with a rest phase and do not
overtax yourself. Do several training sessions over a longer period until you feel
you are less sensitive to stressors or recovering more quickly. The aim is to
simulate everyday situations with stressors and to counter them with targeted
resting breathing and to find the breathing that will help you to relax the quickest
through feedback.
Fourth Training Phase (transfer, and relaxation without
feedback)
1. Now it should be checked whether you have achieved a training success and
whether an improved ability to relax is already achieved without feedback. To
do this, carry out another ten-minute baseline measurement and try to relax as
much as possible. DO NOT observe the measured values. Only consider
afterwards how this measurement behaves in comparison to the baseline from
the first training phase. In the archive, it is possible to compare sessions with
each other. It is to be expected that various values have improved. Of course,
your daily form also plays an important role here. Repeat the baseline
measurement later if necessary. It is very important to always compare
measurements of the same length, so use the option in the settings to set the
session length to a fixed duration so you do not have to stop at the right time.
2. As another transfer exercise, you can work with a stressor again and then try to
relax while NOT observing the measured values. Check afterwards whether you
have succeeded in improving your measured values. If you succeed in this and

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the comparison with the first baseline also shows a clear improvement, you
have completed a successful stress reduction training. If you now find yourself
in a stress situation in everyday life, think of your training sessions. Stay relaxed
by using the skills learned here. The same applies here: Regular practice makes
perfect!
3. The question also arises: Have you been able to breathe slower and deeper
than at the beginning? Did you get a better feeling for breathing? Do you
encounter stress more often with deep abdominal breathing? Has your
breathing pattern improved? These are the objectives that are usually to be
achieved.
4. Our eSense App offers free training as well as the use of procedures. These
are ready-made training programs which you can individualize according to your
wishes. For an optimal comparability of training sessions, they should always
be carried out under identical conditions (e.g., same time of day) and with
identical length. The procedures are a great help. You can read more about this
in the corresponding section of this manual.
Features of the Mindfield eSense App
The eSense includes the Mindfield eSense App, which you can download for free from
the Google Play Store (Android), the Apple App Store (iOS) or the Amazon App Store.
It offers a wealth of functions for effective biofeedback training in a modern design.
Essential functions are the display of the measured values as a bar graph and
oscilloscope (curve), a feedback via video, music (by means of tones), vibration and
light with the help of smart light bulbs (Magic Blue and Philips Hue). You receive a
comprehensive evaluation after each measurement and can compare measurements
with each other in the archive and export them as CSV files and PDF reports.
The app is available in the following languages: German, English, Spanish, French,
Italian, Russian, Portuguese, Dutch, Turkish, Ukrainian, Japanese and Chinese. The
respective language is automatically selected based on the language set in the
smartphone or tablet.