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RRational

A rational approach to Heart Rate Variability analysis

RRational is a free, open-source HRV analysis toolkit built for researchers who need reliable, transparent, and reproducible heart rate variability analysis.

It provides an interactive Streamlit GUI for importing, inspecting, cleaning, and analyzing RR-interval data — following current scientific guidelines (Quigley et al., 2024).

  • Interactive Visualization

    WebGL-accelerated tachogram with click-to-add events, zoom, pan, and real-time Power Spectral Density plots.

  • Artifact Detection

    Lipponen & Tarvainen (2019) algorithm with per-segment quality grading following Quigley 2024 guidelines.

  • Comprehensive HRV Metrics

    Time domain (RMSSD, SDNN, pNN50), frequency domain (LF, HF), and nonlinear (SD1, SD2) metrics.

  • Group & Sequence Comparison

    Batch analysis across study groups and event sequences with automatic hypothesis tests (t-test / Mann-Whitney / ANOVA / Kruskal-Wallis), effect sizes, and bar / violin / raincloud charts.

  • Color Theming

    5 preset themes (Scientific, Colorful, High Contrast, Monochrome, Pastel) with per-element color pickers and automatic dark mode adjustment.

Key Features

  • Section-based analysis — Define time segments with start/end events and duration validation
  • Project management — Self-contained project folders with data, config, and results
  • Report generation — Export as HTML or Markdown for publication-ready documentation
  • Scientific rigor — Follows 2024 Quigley guidelines for artifact handling and reporting
  • Kubios-compatible mode — Optional frequency-domain pipeline matching Kubios HRV Scientific (absolute ms², Smoothness Priors detrending) for cross-validation
  • Color theming — 5 preset color schemes with custom color pickers for all plot elements
  • Export ready — CSV export for statistical analysis, .rrational files with full audit trail

Supported Data Sources

Source Platform Format Details
HRV Logger iOS / Android CSV Format Reference
VNS Analyse iOS (clinical) TXT Format Reference
Polar H10 / Polar Beat Chest strap CSV Format Reference
Polar Flow Web export TSV Format Reference
Empatica E4 / EmbracePlus Wristband (PPG) CSV Format Reference
Elite HRV / Plain text iOS / Android TXT Format Reference
Kubios HRV Desktop TXT Format Reference

Getting Started

New to RRational?

  1. Installation — Set up RRational on your system
  2. Quick Start — Your first HRV analysis in 5 minutes
  3. User Guide — Complete workflow from import to export
  4. FAQ — Common questions answered

Downloads

Download Standalone App Source Code

Standalone App

RRational is available as a standalone desktop application for Windows, macOS, and Linux — no Python installation required. Download from the Releases page.

Getting Help

  • In-app help — Look for expandable help sections throughout the GUI
  • Bug reports — Report an issue on GitHub
  • FAQ — Common questions and answers
  • Glossary — HRV terminology explained

Citation

If you use RRational in your research, please cite:

RRational: A rational approach to Heart Rate Variability analysis. https://github.com/saiko-psych/rrational

RRational is MIT licensed — free for academic and commercial use.