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Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Harry Leeming avatar
Written by Harry Leeming
Updated over a week ago

General

Can I track sleep?

Visible is not currently optimised for sleep tracking, and does not offer any insights on sleep. We’re working on this for future versions. We encourage you to charge your armband overnight and wear it only during the day, to help with pacing.

Can I use Visible if I have POTS?

POTS is a common comorbidity of Long Covid and ME/CFS and can make pacing extra challenging. Many of our members live with POTS and are able to use Visible Plus effectively. If you have POTS you might require some extra support in setting up Visible Plus but a member of the team will be on hand to help support with this.


Subscription

What’s included in the Visible starter pack?

Within 1-2 weeks of signing up, you’ll receive a starter pack containing:

  • Polar Verity Sense armband (a research-grade optical Heart Rate Monitor)

  • Charger

  • Extension cable

  • Welcome card (that will include a QR code/link to setup instructions)

N.B. the starter kit does not include a carry bag or a swimming clip for the Polar Verity Sense device.

Can I cancel if Visible isn’t for me?

You can cancel your membership before your next renewal payment at any time if Visible Plus isn't for you. However, for hygiene reasons, we’re unable to provide refunds for the device cost unless your armband is faulty. You'll still be able to use the Polar armband with fitness apps if you decide to cancel your membership.


Armband

What’s the armband made out of?

The armband is made entirely of plastic and fabric and is fully adjustable. No exposed metal touches your skin while wearing it. It's suitable for upper arm sizes 23-34cm in circumference.

Is the armband waterproof?

The armband is fully waterproof. This means you can wear it in the shower and bath and understand how much energy these activities use.

What’s the armband’s battery life?

The armband battery lasts for 24 hours. We recommend charging it before you go to bed and putting it on in the morning for your morning check-in.


Technology

Do I need a smartphone to access Visible?

Yes. The Visible app is currently available on both iOS (iPhone or iPad with iOS version 15 or later) and Android devices (Samsung, LG, Motorola etc. with Android 8.0 or later).

What happens to my data?

All Visible data is stored in an encrypted database and is not shared with any third parties unless you explicitly opt-in to a research study. Visible Plus is operated under the same Privacy Policy as the rest of the Visible app, so we treat your data the same way!

Why can’t I use my existing device with Visible?

We're building the best possible tool for pacing, to do this we need:

Continuous data

Most wearables do not capture your heart rate in real-time. Instead, they measure your heart rate once every 5-10 minutes (with the frequency increasing if you start a “workout”). Even if you set heart rate alerts on one of these devices, they will often only notify you when it’s too late.

High accuracy data

Optical heart rate sensors work by using light to measure blood flow in capillaries beneath the skin. The top of your wrist is a convenient place for a watch, but is a challenging location for even the best sensors. Wearing on the arm offers our optical sensor an optimal amount of blood flow to gather heart rate data with accuracy comparable to that of an ECG chest strap.

Consistent data

Capturing consistent data from a single device also allows us to build better, more reliable algorithms to help measure and manage invisible illness.

That’s why we don’t support other wearables like Apple Watch, Fitbit or Garmin.


Research Partnerships

I would love to partner with Visible, who can I contact?

Visible hosts selected IRB-approved studies within the app that users can opt-in to share their data with anonymously. If you are interested in using Visible for academic research into Long Covid or ME/CFS, please reach out to us at [email protected].

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