Key result
Heartbeat auditory feedback for meditation is linked to mindfulness but also a sense of being controlled.
Why the study?
The study aimed to develop and evaluate a meditation support system that enhances cardiac interoceptive awareness using real-time heartbeat auditory feedback.
Cross-Sectional (n=120)
No
p-value: p=<0.001
Direct, physiologically accurate heartbeat feedback in meditation systems may inadvertently evoke feelings of manipulation, suggesting ambiguous feedback might be preferable.
May support meditation adherence via enhanced interoception; leaves open efficacy in randomized trials for cardiovascular outcomes.
This study aimed to develop a meditation support system by enhancing cardiac interoceptive awareness. We built a system using millimeter-wave radar to measure heart rates and provide real-time auditory heartbeat feedback. To ensure physiologically realistic heart sounds, the system dynamically calculated the interval between the first heart sound (S1, during ventricular contraction) and the second heart sound (S2, during ventricular relaxation) using Fridericia’s correction formula. The system was evaluated through a subjective experiment involving 120 participants at the Siggraph Asia 2024 Art Gallery. Analysis of 7-point Likert scale questionnaire responses revealed that participants tended to experience mindfulness (mean: 4.31, SD: 0.24, p < 0.001). However, participants also showed a significant tendency to feel a sense of being controlled (mean: 4.37, SD: 0.34, p < 0.001), a result that warrants attention given the meditation system's focus on integrating exteroceptive and interoceptive senses. These results suggest that direct, physiologically accurate heartbeat feedback may inadvertently evoke feelings of manipulation. Therefore, employing ambiguous rather than explicit feedback in biofeedback systems designed to support meditation could effectively reduce distraction and enhance concentration.
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Shimabukuro et al. (2025) conducted a cross-sectional in Meditation (n=120). Real-time heartbeat auditory feedback system was evaluated on Subjective experience of mindfulness (7-point Likert scale) (p=<0.001). A meditation support system using real-time heartbeat auditory feedback induced mindfulness (mean score 4.31, p<0.001) but also evoked a significant sense of being controlled (mean 4.37, p<0.001).
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