How to Display Your Heart Rate in VRChat
- Apr 23, 2022
- 6 min read
Updated: Jul 7
VRChat gives people many ways to express themselves through their avatars, voice, and movements. Now you can make your avatar even more interactive by adding your real-time heartbeat to VRChat.
With a compatible heart rate monitor and Pulsoid, you can display your live heart rate in VRChat using different apps and tools. This can make your avatar feel more expressive and help viewers see your real reactions in real time.
In this article, we’ll show you which applications you can use with Pulsoid to add your heart rate to your avatar in VRChat.
You can also read this article in Japanese
How to set up Pulsoid
First, here are the general steps to set up Pulsoid.
Depending on your device for heart rate monitoring, the setup steps may be different. If you're using a dedicated heart rate monitor, please follow this setup guide. If you're using a smartwatch, see the setup guides for Apple Watch, Wear OS, Fitbit, Xiaomi Smart Bands, etc.
If you have problems connecting to Pulsoid, check the troubleshooting guide or contact us on Discord or by email at support@pulsoid.net.
When everything is connected, you can choose how your heart rate appears in VRChat.
Ways to Show Heart Rate in VRChat
There are several ways to display your heart rate in VRChat. You can show it directly on your avatar or in the chatbox using different tools and integrations.
Below are the most popular options and how to set them up.
Note: For all methods described below, make sure that OSC is enabled in VRChat. Read the OSC setup guide for more information.
Show Heart Rate on Your Avatar
Pulsoid Heart Rate Prefab for VRChat Avatars
We made the Glowy Heart Rate prefab that lets you easily display your heart rate directly on your avatar.
Features:
Glow effect
Custom colors
Dynamic color changes based on BPM
Heartbeat sound
Follow the setup guide to add it to your avatar.
Twitter: @realtigerbl0xed
This tool lets you integrate heart rate into your avatar using OSC.
Note: As of January 1, 2024, this project is no longer actively supported. It should still work, but no new updates or fixes will be released. Thank you, 200Tigersbloxed, for your work💙
Initial configuration
We recommend following the official developer documentation to ensure you always have the latest information.
You will likely need a UI Helper. It is not required, but it makes the setup much easier.
Download HRtoVRChat_OSC_UI.zip from the latest release.
Extract the archive to the directory.
Open the Updates tab and click Update Software.
After the update finishes, restart the app.
Make sure the Installed version matches the Latest version.
Go to the Program tab and click Start the app.
Wait for the app to close automatically.
In the Config tab, change any values you’d like.
To install the HRtoVRChat app itself:
Download the HRtoVRChat_OSC or check the latest release from GitHub.
Extract the files.
Run the program once.
Open config.cfg and change any values you’d like.
How to Connect Pulsoid
Set HRType to pulsoid.
Get your Pulsoid key (access_token):
Navigate here or optionally create an API Token if you have a BRO subscription.
Click Authorize app.
You will be redirected to a page showing your access token.
Copy and save this key (you will need it later).
Apply your Pulsoid key:
Go to the Config tab.
Select the pulsoidkey field.
Enter the access_token you got from the previous step
Avatar setup
To set up your avatar, you will need:
Recommended (optional but helpful):
This video from the HRtoVRChat creator 200Tigersbloxed will guide you through the full avatar setup process:
Twitter: @kamyu1537
If you are looking for a simpler all-in-one setup, this option may be the easiest. The link above contains the app itself and a Unity package.
Set up heart.unitypackage and hr-osc (unpack it and run once)
Set your widget_id in hr-osc to the value found in your Pulsoid widget URL, after view/
Don’t share your Pulsoid widget URL with untrusted sources Set how your heart rate will be shown in Unit
Show Heart Rate in Chatbox MagicChatbox
Twitter: @BoiiiHanny
For more details about the MagicChatBox integration, read this setup guide.
Initial configuration
Check the official documentation to get all the latest info.
To install the MagicChatbox app itself:
Download the zip file or get it on the latest MagicChatbox release on GitHub
Right-click and choose the option 'extract all'
Make sure you have .NET 9 installed
Run the file 'MagicChatbox.exe'
How to connect Pulsoid
Subscribe to the BRO plan to use extra widgets and tools, including showing your heart rate in MagicChatbox.
Open MagicChatbox and go to Options → Heart Monitoring Options.
Paste your access token into the Pulsoid Access Token box.
That’s it! Your heart rate should now work.
You can also change extra settings in Heart Monitoring Options, like:
adjusting your heart rate display
showing heart rate trends
making heart rate changes look smoother
VRChat Speech to Text (VRC STT)
Pulsoid also works with VRC STT (VRChat Speech To Text).
This tool lets you send messages through a chatbox on your avatar. You can also show your heart rate in the chatbox with Pulsoid.
To use VRC STT:
Download the Unity package from VRC STT.
Add the package to your avatar project in Unity.
Import the package.
Change the chatbox settings the way you like.
To connect Pulsoid:
Go to VRChat → Chatbox → Pulsoid.
Click Enable Pulsoid.
Click Connect.
An authentication page will open.
After that, Pulsoid will connect automatically.
VolcanicArts
VRCOSC is a tool for VRChat that lets you add OSC features more easily.
With Pulsoid, you can use it to show your heart rate in the VRChat ChatBox and more.
To set up VRCOSC, just download and run VRCOSCSetup.exe from the latest releases.
How to connect Pulsoid:
Go into the Module tab and enable the Pulsoid heart rate module.
In the Pulsoid module's settings, click the "Obtain Access Token" button, copy it, and paste it to get free access to the integration.
Go to the ChatBox tab and add a new clip by right-clicking. Select the clip by left-clicking. Make sure the clip is enabled, then click the Edit button at the top.
Select the Pulsoid module on the left side (make sure it's enabled) and enable the Connected state that appears.
Exit the clip edit window, go to the run tab, and press the green run button.
With VRCOSC, you can also use heart rate parameters and prefabs to show your heart rate in VRChat in different ways. To see all available parameters, click the Link button in the Pulsoid module:
Twitter: @Wizard_VR
TTS Voice Wizard is a useful tool for VRChat. It lets you use text-to-speech and speech-to-text features. It works with Pulsoid. This lets you show your heart rate in the VRChat Chatbox in real time.
Download the latest version and follow the step-by-step guide to set up TTS Voice Wizard.
How to connect Pulsoid:
Navigate to Integrations Tab > Heartrate + OSC Listener
Click "get Pulsoid Authorization Token' and authorize TTS Voice Wizard
Copy your Token into TTS Voice Wizard and click “Connect Pulsoid”
You can change the update time to control how often your heart rate updates. Set it to 1500ms or more. Then your heart rate will show in the VRChat Chatbox as a standard message.
If you want a custom message, turn off “Output Heart Rate Directly”. Then set your message in the Media Integration tab.
How to Show Your Heart Rate in VRChat on Linux
If you're using Linux, watch this video to learn how to connect Pulsoid:
Setting everything up may take some time, but it is worth it. Adding a heart rate makes your avatar more expressive and your stream more interactive. It is also a good way to stand out and show real reactions in the moment.
Thanks to the community for creating and sharing these tools.
If you run into any issues, reach out to us on Discord or email us at support@pulsoid.net
