Contact Sensors to Remote Cameras: Quantifying Cardiorespiratory Coupling in High-Altitude Exercise Recovery

Abstract: Cardiorespiratory coupling (CRC) captures the dynamic interaction between the cardiac and respiratory systems--an interaction strengthened by physical exercise and linked to improved physiological function. We examined CRC at high altitude in two states, rest and post-exercise recovery, and found significant differences (p < 0.05). Quantitative analysis revealed that recovery involved more frequent yet less stable episodes of synchronization between respiration and pulse. Furthermore, we explored the feasibility of non-contact CRC measurement with remote photoplethysmography (rPPG), observing a strong correlation with oximeter-based metrics (Pearson r = 0.96). These findings highlight the potential of CRC as a sensitive marker for autonomic regulation and its future application in contactless monitoring. Source code is available at GitHub: https://github.com/McJackTang/CRC.