MF-180 World

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you monitor my heart rate without a chest-belt?
Technically, the MF-180 is a plethysmograph, that’s essentially a monitor reading the changes in reflectivity of your skin each time your heart beats. This is a well proven technology that’s often used in medical and exercise laboratories to monitor various bodily functions. The MF-180 uses digital signal processing and error correction technology to ensure accurate readings. Each time you turn on the monitor, it tells you the strength of the signal (a display of L0 [weak signal] to L3 [strong signal] is shown).

I’m having trouble getting a good reading, what should I do?
This monitor looks at changes in skin reflectivity due to blood flow in the skin, as a result, anything that compromises blood flow or transparency of the skin can impact the ability to get a good reading. Double check that the sensor is set flat against the pad of the finger and that the finger wrap is tight enough to turn the oval into a circle. Are your hands cold? Cold hands result in reduced blood flow and can prevent strong signals. The good news is that this will correct itself as you exercise. Putting on an over-glove will also help. Is your skin very dry? Because your skin needs to transmit light well, extreme dryness can be a problem. Skin lotion should eliminate this problem.

I sometimes have trouble pressing the buttons. Do you have any suggestions?
“Pinch the monitor” between your thumb and forefinger, that will keep the monitor from “squishing” around as you try to press a button. See photo.

Do you have a cold weather glove available?
Not right now, but we’re working on it. In the meantime, we suggest you find a pair of oversize gloves and cut a hole in the back for the display to show through. Legendary marathon runner Bill Rodgers used to run in cotton work gloves. You can get similar gloves at the local hardware or home center for a couple of bucks. Once you’ve cut the hole, to keep it from fraying, put glue, nail polish, or something similar around the hole. (Do not have the glove on as you do this, nor have the monitor near the glove. Make sure whatever you’ve used is completely dry before putting the glove on with the monitor as any solvents may damage the monitor.

How do I get a replacement glove?
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