Overview: Why Cellular Signal Affects the Sensor
Inner Balance users may occasionally notice a jagged or unreliable pulse graph, even when the sensor is properly attached to the earlobe. While this can sometimes be a physical placement issue, it is frequently caused by electromagnetic interference from the phone’s own cellular antenna.
The Science of Signal Interference
Mobile phones are designed to dynamically adjust their transmission power based on the distance to the nearest cell tower:
- Strong Signal Area: The phone uses very little power to maintain its connection.
- Weak Signal Area: To prevent a dropped call or data loss, the phone significantly increases its transmission power.
This high-power “search” for a cellular network can create enough electronic noise to interfere with the sensitive pulse readings of the Inner Balance sensor, resulting in a poor-quality HRV graph or the app failing to “lock onto” a pulse altogether.
How to Resolve the Issue
If you are in an area with 1 or 2 bars of signal strength, follow these steps to ensure a high-quality session:
- Enable Airplane Mode: Swipe into your device settings and turn on Airplane Mode. This shuts down the cellular antenna and the interference it causes.
- Enable Bluetooth (If Needed): If you are using the Bluetooth (BTLE) sensor, Airplane Mode will turn off your Bluetooth. Simply go back into your settings and toggle Bluetooth back to ON while leaving Airplane Mode active.
- Start Your Session: Open Inner Balance and clip on your sensor. You should notice a much smoother, more consistent pulse wave.
Important Note
While in Airplane Mode, you will not be able to receive calls, texts, or use cellular data. Any session data you record will be stored locally on your device and will automatically sync to HeartCloud once you disable Airplane Mode and reconnect to a network.