Pulsar STARwatch-BD1 User manual

© 2016 Pulsar Informatics, Inc.
User Manual
Model: STAR WATCH –BD1
Rev 0.10

Important Information
© 2016 Pulsar Informatics, Inc. Page 2 of 26
Table of Contents
Important Information ..................................... 3
FCC ........................................................... 3
Industry Canada ............................................... 3
Introduction to STARwatch ................................. 4
Overview ...................................................... 4
Getting started ............................................... 4
Hardware Components ....................................... 5
Band .......................................................... 5
Sensors .................................................... 5
Display .................................................... 7
Touch ...................................................... 7
Battery .................................................... 7
Dock .......................................................... 7
Charge-only use ............................................ 7
Charge and data connectivity use ........................... 7
Software .................................................. 8
Overview ...................................................... 8
Installation .................................................. 8
Device management ............................................. 8
Firmware updates ........................................... 9
Configuring a device for recording ......................... 9
Stopping a Recoding and Downloading data .................. 10
Data management .............................................. 13
Raw files ................................................. 13
Worksheets ................................................ 14
Creating worksheets ....................................... 14
Import & Export ........................................... 15
Deleting .................................................. 17
Worksheet editing ............................................ 18
Sleep scoring step 1: Sleep analysis for
Active/Inactive epoch classification ...................... 19
Sleep scoring step 2: Identify In Bed Periods either
manually or automatically ................................. 19
Sleep Statistics Reference ................................... 21
Sleep metrics for single in-bed intervals ................. 22
Daily sleep metrics ....................................... 24
Summary statistics ........................................ 25
References ............................................... 26

Important Information
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Important Information
FCC
This device complies with part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the
following two conditions: (1) This device may not cause harmful interference, and
(2) this device must accept any interference received, including interference that
may cause undesired operation.
FCC Caution: Any changes or modifications not expressly approved by the party
responsible for compliance could void the user's authority to operate this
equipment.
Industry Canada
This device complies with Industry Canada license-exempt RSS standard(s).
Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) this device may not cause
interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference, including
interference that may cause undesired operation of the device.
Cet appareil est conforme aux normes d’exemption de licence RSS d’Industry
Canada. Son fonctionnement est soumis aux deux conditions suivantes : (1) cet
appareil ne doit pas causer d’interférence et (2) cet appareil doit accepter toute
interférence, notamment les interférences qui peuvent affecter son
fonctionnement.

Introduction to STARwatch
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Introduction to STARwatch
Overview
STARwatch is a professional sleep and activity tracking system that includes three
components:
STARwatch Band
Unobtrusive wrist-worn
band with integrated
motion, light, and wear-
detection sensors.
STARwatch Dock
USB docking station for
charging the band
batteries and providing
connectivity to the STAR
software.
STAR Software
Windows software
application for configuring
bands, and managing and
analyzing data.
Getting started
The following steps will quickly get you started with your STARwatch system:
1. Download and install STAR software
A link to download STAR software will have been provided to you by Pulsar after
your purchase. Run the installation program on a computer that meets the
minimum requirements. Start the software after installation is complete.
2. Connect a dock and band to your computer
Plug a dock into a USB port on the computer you have installed the STAR
software onto. Place a band onto the dock, and you will see a device appear in
the Device tab in the software.
3. Start a recording
Enter a subject name into the device recording screen in the STAR software, and
click the Start Recording button. Remove the band from the dock and start
wearing it.
4. Review the User Manual
Learn about the complete details on the operation and maintenance of the
hardware components and use of the software for device configuration, data
management, and sleep scoring analysis.

Hardware Components
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Hardware Components
Band
Sensors
Light
The STARwatch has a four channel, RGB-W (Red, Green, Blue, & White) light sensor.
The lens is on the front face of the band and receives ambient light. The Red, Green,
and Blue channels measure irradiance, the light power, within each of the spectral
ranges. The white channel measures overall illuminance, which is an indicator of
human brightness perception.
Light channel
Description
Red Irradiance
Red power level in uW/cm^2
Green Irradiance
Green power level in uW/cm^2
Blue Irradiance
Blue power level in uW/cm^2
White Illuminance
White level in lux
The approximate relative sensitivity curves for the Red, Green, and Blue channels
are shown in the figure below.

Hardware Components
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On-wrist
The band detects whether it is being worn using a proximity sensor embedded on
the inside surface of the band. When the band is being worn, the presence of the
wrist close to the band is measured. The on-wrist sensor uses a capacitive proximity
field and does not require the wrist to be in direct contact with the surface of the
band, but if the band is worn loosely it may result in intermittent spuriuous off-wrist
measurements.
Accelerometer
A three axis accelerometer measures motion of the band along the X, Y, and Z axes
as shown in the figure below. The raw acceleration signals are measured at a
sampling rate of 50Hz or above, and later processed to generate derived activity
count metrics. The sampling rate and range setting of the accelerometer are
selected at the time a recording is started. The default settings are 50Hz, and ±4g.
Setting
Values
Description
Frequency
50Hz, 100Hz, 200Hz
Rate at which raw acceleration values are
measured. Higher rates reduce battery life.

Hardware Components
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Display
The STARwatch band has an illuminated display that provides status indicators to
both device administrators and subjects. When the band is docked the display has a
landscape orientation and off the dock it has a portrait orientation.
Touch
Users can toggle display modes of the STARwatch band using the touch interface on
the front face. A long press on the face will awaken the screen. Subsequent short
presses will toggle the display page.
Battery
Power is provided by an internally-sealed rechargeable Lithium-Ion battery. The
battery charges when placed on the dock. Recharge time will vary based on the level
of battery, but a full charge from empty to full will complete within 1.5h. A battery
full indicator is shown on the band display, and within the software when a full
charge has been achieved.
Dock
Charge-only use
The dock can be used just to charge bands, by connecting the USB cable to any USB
port that can provide power. The USB port may be a USB wall-adapter, a computer
(with or without the STAR software), or on a USB hub.
Charge and data connectivity use
When the dock’s USB cable is connected to a computer that is running the STAR
software, it provides both battery charging and data connectivity. When a band is
connected to the dock its battery will charge automatically if it is not full, and the
band will appear in the STAR software.
Range
±4g, ±8g, ±16g
Maximum acceleration range. Higher ranges
allows faster movements to be detected.
Lower ranges provider greater sensitivity for
slower movements.

Software
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Software
Overview
The STAR software is a Windows application that serves two purposes: a)
communication with the STARwatch band devices, b) organization and analysis of
the data.
Installation
Running the STAR software requires a computer that meets the following
requirements:
Requirement
Description
Operating system
Windows 7, 8, 8.1
RAM
4 GB
Disk space
100GB recommended for initial use.
Device management
The Devices tab view has two panels: 1) a connected devices list that shows all
bands currently connected to the computer, and 2) a device detail that shows
information about any device that is selected in connected devices list.
c
1. Connected devices list
2. Device detail

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Firmware updates
The STAR software automatically checks over the internet for new firmware updates
that are available for the STARwatch. These updates contain performance
enhancements or additional features and should always be updated if they’re
available.
In the device detail panel, the availability of an update is shown by an alert above
the device ID:
Apply an update
If an update available alert is visible, follow these steps to apply an update:
1. Check that a good internet connection is available
2. Ensure the device is in Configure mode (data has been erased, and it is not
currently recording)
3. Click on the Update Available alert
4. On the device information pop-up window, click Update Now
5. Wait for the firmware to complete the automatic update. Do not disconnect the
device from the dock while the upload is in progress.
Configuring a device for recording
When a device is in ready state to start a new recording (data has been erased, and
it is not currently recording), the Recording Configuration page will show in the
device detail panel when the device is connected:
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Set the subject identification, sensor configuration settings, and recording start time
to the desired values then select Start recording to put the device into recording
mode.
Stopping a Recoding and Downloading data
When a device that is recording is placed on the dock information about the
device’s current recording session is shown in the device detail panel. The device
can be removed from the dock it will continue its recording session uninterrupted.
To end the recording session, click the Stop recording button.

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The download screen will then show an option to Download Now or Skip and Erase.
The Skip and Erase option will bypass the download step and permanently delete
the data on the device.
c
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Initiating the Download process will show a download progress bar. Once the
download is complete a new raw data file is available in the Data tab.

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Data management
The Data tab view has three panels: 1) Raw data file list with original downloaded
data files, 2) Worksheets list with each of the epoch-sampled worksheets that have
been created, and 3) detail view of the data file or worksheet that is selected.
Raw files
Raw files contain the STARwatch sensor measurements at the full sampling rates
that were selected during recording. The sampling rates may vary between
channels, so the raw files contain data streams at variable sampling rates. Each time
a download from a device is completed a new Raw file is created, and cannot be
modified after it has been created.
The fields in the raw files include the following:
Raw file field
Description
Off-Wrist
Numeric value indicating wrist proximity. Values > 0
are off-wrist, values < 0 are on-wrist.
White Light (lux)
White light illuminance measurement
Red Light (uW/cm^2)
Red light irradiance measurement
Green Light (uW/cm^2)
Green light irradiance measurement
Blue Light (uW/cm^2)
Blue light irradiance measurement
Accel X (g)
Acceleration in the x-axis
Accel Y (g)
Acceleration in the y-axis
1. Raw file list
2. Raw file/worksheet detail
2. Worksheets list

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Accel Z (g)
Acceleration in the z-axis
Worksheets
Worksheets are summary data files, in which all channels have been resampled into
consistently sized epochs. The multi-axis, high-frequency motion data from the Raw
files is aggregated into a single Activity Count field that is used as the input for
actigraphy sleep scoring.
The fields in the worksheets, and the epoch binning method is as follows:
Worksheet data field
Description
Off-Wrist
True or false value indicating wear or non-wear.
Median value of all raw off-wrist measurements in
the epoch
White Light (lux)
Mean value of all raw white-light measurements in
the epoch
Red Light (uW/cm^2)
Mean value of all raw red-light measurements in the
epoch
Green Light (uW/cm^2)
Mean value of all raw green-light measurements in
the epoch
Blue Light (uW/cm^2)
Mean value of all raw blue-light measurements in the
epoch
Activity Count
Numeric value indicative of the overall level of
motion during the epoch. Raw X, Y, Z acceleration
values are filtered and integrated.
Creating worksheets
Worksheet from raw file
Raw files contain the high resolution measurements that are processed to create
new worksheet with fixed duration epochs. When creating a worksheet an epoch
duration is selected, and the raw file measurements are aggregated into bins of the
selected epoch duration.
To process a raw data file into a new worksheet:
1) Select a raw data file
2) Click ‘Create new worksheet’ button
3) Select a label, and epoch setting

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Worksheet from another worksheet
An existing worksheet can be duplicated to create a new worksheet. This approach
does not require the associated Raw file, but does not allow the selection of a
different epoch setting than the one used in the existing worksheet. Duplicating a
worksheet will also copy over all in-bed and sleep estimates that have been added
to the existing worksheet.
To process a duplicate an existing worksheet:
1) Select a worksheet
2) Select the menu option Import, Export & Manage > Duplicate
Import & Export
STAR software provides various options for exporting data for analysis in other
scientific computing applications, exporting summary reports, and archiving and
transporting data. These options are found in the Import and Export options under
the Import, Export & Manage menu.

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Worksheet CSV Export
A CSV (Comma Separated Values) worksheet export contains multiple sections of
analytical data intended for detailed human review or for import into another
scientific computing tool. The sections include:
Subject –subject identification
Recording Session –session start and end times
Device –model and identification
Recording Settings –sensor configuration parameters set when recording
started.
Analysis Settings –analysis parameters set when editing the worksheet
InBed Interval Sleep Statistics –summary statistics about the measurements
during each contiguous in-bed interval
Active Interval Statistics –summary statistics about the measurements
during each contiguous active interval
Daily Interval Statistics –summary statistics about the amount of time spent
in each classification state grouped by day
Off-Wrist Interval Statistics –summary statistics about the measurements
during each contiguous off-wrist interval
Sleep Report –sleep quality and quantity metrics for each day
Eport Data –complete list of values for each epoch in the data set
Worksheet PDF Export
A PDF worksheet export includes a visual raster plot for each day of data, and a
summary sleep report statistics table. The PDF is convenient for quickly presenting
or sharing data with others outside of the STAR software.
Worksheet STARwatch (*.wstar) Export & Import
The STARwatch Worksheet (*.wstar) file format is a compressed binary format used
exclusively for archiving data or transporting data between two STAR software

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applications. When you export a worksheet in this format you will create a *.wstar
file. This file can be imported back into a STAR application.
Common uses for the *.wstar Export/Import include exporting a worksheet so that
it can be sent to another computer running the STAR application, and exporting a
worksheet for archiving in a backup.
Raw File CSV Export
A CSV (Comma Separated Values) raw file export provides complete sensor
measurements recorded by the device, and is designed for machine-readability. The
sections include:
Subject –subject identification
Recording Session –session start and end times
Device –model and identification
Recording Settings –sensor configuration parameters set when recording
started.
Analysis Settings –analysis parameters set when editing the worksheet
Raw Data –complete list of measurement values for each sample in the
data set. Fields that are sampled more infrequently that others are shown
with blank values when no measurement was taken at a particular time
instant.
Raw File Export and Import options
The STARwatch Raw (*.rstar) file format is a compressed binary format used
exclusively for archiving data or transporting data between two STAR software
applications. When you export a raw file in this format you will create a *.rstar file.
This file can be imported back into a STAR application.
One use for the *.rstar Export/Import is to export a raw file so that it can be sent to
another computer running the STAR application (e.g. field study sending data to a
central repository)
The *.rstar Export/Import may also be used to archive data into a long-term backup.
As the number of raw files increases, the amount of disk space occupied by the Raw
files may grow substantially. If the Raw file data is not going to be accessed
frequently again, it may be helpful to export the Raw files into separate storage, and
delete the Raw Files in the the application.
Deleting
A worksheet can be deleted by selecting one in the Worksheet list, and then
selectiong the menu item Import, Export & Managed > Delete.
A Raw File can also be deleted, however to reduce the chance of accidental data
deletion there is no menu command. To delete a Raw File, select a Raw File in the

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Raw File List and then press the <DEL> button. A commond prompt will ask for a
confirmation before permanently deleting the data.
Worksheet editing
The worksheet editing view allows detailed navigation of the timines, reviews of
summary statistics, and editing of sleep scoring. The view includes: 1) View mode
selection options, 2) Worksheet visualization, and 3) Sleep score configuration.
The view modes supported in the Worksheet editor view are:
3. Sleep score
configuration
2. Worksheet visualization (raster, timeline or summary)
1. View mode selection

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Raster –twenty-four hour timelines stacked vertically, useful for viewing
day-by-day patterns
Timeline –horizontal scrolling timeline, allowing zooming into detailed
timeline segments
Summary –numeric sleep and activity statistics for the data set
Sleep scoring a worksheet classifies segments of time in which the subject was
Active, or In-Bed, and for the In-Bed intervals estimates the times the subject was
actually asleep. Scoring is performed as a two step process: 1) Run a sleep analysis
to classify each epoch as ACTIVE or INACTIVE, 2) Determine In-Bed intervals and
classify epochs within the In-Bed intervals as either Sleep or Wake
Sleep scoring step 1: Sleep analysis for Active/Inactive
epoch classification
In the top section of the Sleep Score Configuration panel, select one of the two
algorithms that are available as options for the sleep analysis: Sadeh
1
or Cole
2
. Both
generally apply a window function to the activity count values, then compare the
resulting values to a threshold to classify each epoch as Active or Inactive.
The Active/Inactive classification of each epoch is not shown immediately in the
Worksheet visualizer, but can be viewed in a CSV export.
Sleep scoring step 2: Identify In Bed Periods either
manually or automatically
The In-Bed period identification can be performed with a combination of automated
algorithms and/or manual edits. The second section in the Sleep Score Configuration
panel presents two options for identifying In-Bed periods: Manual or Auto-fill.
Selecting Auto-Fill triggers an in-bed detection algorithm to run over the entire
timeline, whereas Manual indicates that in-bed intervals have been manually edited
on the timeline. Once an In-Bed interval is created, the epochs within the In-Bed
interval are classified Wake/Sleep based on the Active/Inactive classification from
Step 1.

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Auto fill In Bed algorithms
The Auto fill in-bed detection algorithms use the Active/Inactive classification
calculated in the Step 1 as an input. The default Auto fill setting is the Tudor-Locke
3
algorithm. Alternatively you can create a custom set of parameters by selecting
‘Custom’ then adjusting the settings as desired:
The parameters in the custom in bed algorithm are the following:
Raw file field
Description
In-Bed Onset Trigger (min)
Number of consecutive Inactive epochs that mark the
possible beginning of an In Bed period. The In Bed
period would start at the first epoch of the
consecutive Inactive epochs
Min In-Bed Duration (min)
Minimum duration that an In Bed period must last
without a Wake period starting.
Wake Onset Trigger (min)
Number of consecutive Active epochs that mark the
possible beginning of a Wake period. The Wake
period would start at the first epoch of the
consecutive Active epochs
Min In-Bed Duration (min)
Minimum duration that a Wake period must last
without an In-Bed period starting.