Advanced Running Metrics in CIQ

Former Member over 8 years ago

Hello everyone,
I know, that currently advanced running dynamics like vertical oscillation are not exposed to CIQ apps, but, being an ANT+ device, HRM Run sensor must transmit these values to watch and presumably it's only a matter of reading them correctly. So, theoretically, using Moxy sample I can implement my own class to connect to HRM Run and read those values on my own unless they are calculated in native apps based on accelerometer data provided by HRM Run. I know, that currently it's not possible to connect to sensor if it has been paired and connected using native interface via setEnabledSensors or at least that was the case several months ago, thus it'll require to create the whole app to process this data and write it to FIT file via FITContributor to display these values on GC, but that's another story.

The question is: is it possible to query HRM Run metrics manually other than Heart Rate (which is the only one marked as certified by thisisant)? And if yes, then is there some kind of definition for the payload and reply message structure?
If anyone had some experience querying the HRM Run, please, share the knowledge.
Thanks in advance.

jim_m_58 over 8 years ago

I have no idea if you can get the additional data from the HRM-RUN with your own ANT+ connection (it may not be something that defined for public use), but there may be a basic problem with this approach to look into. You mention that you can't use it as a native sensor at the same time as a custom Ant+ interface does.

Normally in a CIQ app, you do the setEnabledSensors() and that lets the FW know to try and connect to a paired sensor, and get that data. In the case of a HRM, that will also put the HR in the standard .fit, and likely use the HR in connection to calculating things like the calorie burn (the "firstbeat" code in the FW?), RHR, etc. While you can put the data in the .fit with FitContributor, that data isn't available to the recording done by the FW for the basics, so it may impact things such as calories, as the base recoding doesn't see the HR.

Former Member over 8 years ago

Thank you for your reply, Jim, I understand possible shortcomings of this use-case, but since advanced metrics are not available as a part of Activity.info I just wanted to clarify whether it's actually possible to poll this data manually. But the more I think of this, the more I suspect that these values are not exposed because they are calculated in native apps real-time like personal records, since this requires continuous data stream (FIT file?) analysis. This is confirmed indirectly by the fact, that only faster devices such as FR630/735XT and Fenix family are able to handle them.

I think that not only me, but many of Garmin users, got used to custom recording apps/data fields, but these advanced metrics require everyone to stick with native apps if we want these metrics recorded and uploaded to Garmin Connect.
Thus, until it is officially confirmed that it's not possible to acquire these values for CIQ apps, I still continue to speculate as this topic was one of the possible improvements for my new/existing apps.

travis.vitek over 8 years ago

The latest version of the ANT+ Heart Rate Device Profile document does mention Data Page 6 (capabilities page) has bits for extended sport modes. There is also a brief section of Data Page 76 to change the sport mode for a HRM that supports them. Unfortunately, that is all the documentation that you're given. Everything else is 'manufacturer specific'.

If this is really something you want to tinker with, you would likely have to inquire with Garmin for documentation or reverse engineer multiple data pages. I have doubts that either avenue would be successful, but I've been wrong before.

Travis